232 CRYPTOGAMIAALG^E. 



plant, in its more characteristic form, prefers a shaded si- 

 tuation, and one nearer the ebb tide. " This fucus has a 

 hot taste in the mouth, and is therefore called pepper 

 dulse by the people in Scotland, who frequently eat it as a 

 sallad." LIGHTFOOT. This custom has become obsolete, 

 nor is it likely to be revived, for both the taste and odour 

 of the plant are disagreeable. 



135. PLOCAMIUM. 



1. P. coccineum, frond narrow, compressed, much branched ; 

 branches spreading, irregularly dichotomous, the secondary and 

 ultimate ones alternately pectinated, subulate. GREV. Alg. Brit. 

 98. Fucus coccineus, WITH. iv. 134. NEILL in Edin. Encycl. x. 

 23. F. Plocamium, LIGHTF. Scot. 957- Delesseria coccinea^ HOOK. 

 Scot. ii. 101. 



Ilab. On the shore near Berwick plentifully, Hay. Often 

 parasitical on Laminaria digitata. If 



A remarkably elegant sea-weed, from 3 to 6 inches in height, 

 and of a very beautiful red colour, hence " most admired 

 by the ladies who are fond of pictures and mimic land- 

 scapes, composed of marine vegetables," a sort of fancy 

 work out of date, though once the favourite amusement of 

 our princesses. 



2. P. plumosum, frond narrow, compressed, much branched ; 

 branches spreading, irregular, the branchlets opposite, patent, 

 close set, and beautifully pectinated with subulate processes. 

 Bot. Gall. ii. 949. Fucus plumosus, LIGHTF. Scot. 955. WITH. 

 iv. 135. NEILL lib. cit. x. 23. Ptilota plumosa, HOOK. Scot. ii. 106. 

 GREV. Alg. Brit. 155. 



Hab. On the stems of Laminaria digitata^ very common. I/. 



A variety of this elegant fucus, with a narrow flaccid frond 

 and jointed ramuli, grows abundantly on the sides of rocks 

 in pools of sea-water; and it is remarkable that this is 

 never infested and disfigured with flustrce, as the parasitical 

 plants very commonly are. 



WAHLENBERG says that the native rose-purple colour of this 

 species becomes violet in fresh water, then brick -red, and 

 lastly green if well washed. To preserve the original 

 colour the acid of the sea water seems necessary, but this 

 being removed, the plant changes to green as if an alkali 



