FUNGI OF ECONOMIC PLANTS. 183 



1823 tliat other ornamental species began to be introduced, and 

 between that time and 1837 the fine Mexican species, F.fulgens, 

 F. cordata, and F. corymhiflora, were introduced ; since then many 

 others have been added, and numerous fine varieties raised from 

 seed which have become conspicuous and highly patronised 

 garden plants. The fruit of F. corymhiflora is an oblong pulpy 

 berry, pleasant to eat and not unwholesome. 



Fucus, the name of a Linnsean genus of sea- weeds, originally 

 comprehending a considerable number of species, which by 

 modern botanists have been broken up and characterised under 

 a number of distinct genera, the genus Fucus being the type 

 of the family Fucacese, part of the order Algse, of the class 

 Cryptogamia of Linnaeus. The species are more or less abun- 

 dant on the rocky coasts of most countries. They are represented 

 in tliis country by Fucus noclosus, F. serratus, F. vesiculosus, 

 Laminaria digitata, and Z. hulhosa, known as Tangle ; they are 

 strong-growing species, and may be considered as the shrubs of 

 the ocean. During storms the force of the waves uproots large 

 quantities of sea- weeds of different species, which are wafted on 

 shore and left by the receding tides, such being known by the name 

 of Wrack, the drying and burning of which at one time furnished 

 employment to large numbers of people in Scotland and Ireland. 

 The ashes contain an alkali called Kelp, used in the manufacture 

 of soap and glass ; but since barilla has been used for these pur- 

 poses the burning of sea-wrack has almost ceased. From the 

 alkali of sea -weeds an important chemical substance called 

 Iodine is obtained, and is well know^n in medicine and the 

 arts as a powerful absorbent. In agricultural districts wrack 

 is eagerly sought after for manure ; its virtue as such depends 

 principally on the salt it contains. On some parts of the coast 

 of Japan sea-plants are largely collected. They are exported to 

 China and conveyed to the interior, where salt is scarce. Many 

 of them are also edible. 



Fungi, the name of one of the orders of the class Crypto- 

 gamia of Linnaeus, which consists of flowerless plants, the most 

 obvious representatives being those that are well known as toad- 



