Fuci. Tae Fuci constitute a tribe of plants commonly inclu- 
“~~ ded, along with Ulvz and Marine Conferve, under the 
more general title of Submersed , or Thalassio- 
phyta, om bcraocios marine, and. @ure a plant), 
and well known in»this age a the ular name 
of Sea Weeds, (a familiar ap sak dleomioakad 
not scruple to employ). In Scotland, the name wrack 
(probably from the French varec) is often applied 
to those fuci which are cut on the shores for. the 
manufacture of kelp. In the Sexual System, the fuci 
form part of the third order, , of the last class 
Cryptogamia ; an order in which Linneus included 
Jungermannia, and the other genera now denominated 
Hepatice. In the system of Tournetort, they form 
part of the second section, Plante marine, &e. of the 
17th class, Asperme vulgo habite. The word fucus, 
(Qvxes), which means a paint, may be 8 abbole to al- 
lude to the quality possessed by some of the small red~ 
dish species, of affording a sort of rouge. 
It is not easy to class the thalassiophytes with any of 
the families of land plants. In the most recent. syste- 
matic works, they are placed after the Tremelle, 
with which they are connected by the Ulve. To 
the Lichenes, which follow them, they are more close-~ 
ly allied: So great is the affinity of one little species, 
Fucus pygmeus, * that in the Flora Danica it is de« 
scribed by the name of Lichen confinis, and in the 
Methodus Lichenum of Dr Acharius, as a Stereocaulon. 
The general resemblance between the rein-deer lichen 
and two plants by Mr Turner, in his History of 
Fuci, F, viscidus, t.119, and F. amphibius, t. 109, is 
striking ; and the ramuli of F.-€hemnitzia, (t. 200), 
greatly resemble the shields of Parmelia perforata ele- 
vated on peduncles. If more illustration be wanting, 
it may be noticed, that four different species of sea- 
weed have, at different times, on account of their si- 
prec we to lichens, received the trivial name of /- 
cl S. 
In.some of the fuci, other striking resemblances to 
certain land »plants may be traced ; but these are of 
no importance towards their classification. To creep« 
ing land plants, they are allied by a curious family, 
known by the title of Caulerpx, to be afterwards 
* Excellently figured in Lightfoot’s 
figure of it is, in general, referred to) 
VOL, X. PART 1. ‘ 
THE 
EDIN BURGH ENCYCLOPADIA. 
CE Or. 
described. » In general appearance, some fuci resemble 
filices, and. others musci: ._F. membranaceus, (Zurn. 
t. 158), and F., Woodwardia, (Ner. Brit. p, 13, t. 6), 
are very like ferns of the genus Woodwardia ; and the 
frond. of F. scalpelliformis, (Turn. t. 174), has a great 
similarity to some mosses of the genus Fissidens. 
_ With the animal kingdom, sea-weeds are connected 
by I. tomentosus, and F. bursa, (Zurn. t. 135, 6,) 
both of which resemble sponges in imbibing water, 
and giving it out on being pressed ; and also in emit~ 
ting a peculiar disagreeable odour a few hours af- 
ter being taken from the sea. F. bursa, indeed, is 
classed, both by Linnzus and Pallas, as a zoophyte. 
F. simpliciusculus, of Turner, (t. 175), and F, lycopo-« 
dium, (t..199), approach very near to that. class of 
beings; but, of all others, a small caulerpa, found by 
Mr Brown.in King George’s Sound, attached to my-« 
tili, and. lately figured by Turner, under the title of 
F. peniculus, (t.228), forms a link that most closes 
ly unites sea-weeds to the animal kingdom. 
If itis a.difficult task to distinguish and arrange the 
vegetable productions of the surface of the earth, which. 
can be examined at. all, seasons, the difficulty is eyi- 
dently greatly increased in regard to marine plants. 
In these last the organization is more simple, and con- 
piss reacts they exhibit fewer distinctive characters ; 
and their place of growth almost precludes the pos« 
sibility of watching their progress and reproduction. 
Those best, able to. delineate their characters are often 
situated at a distance, and must decribe from the exa- 
mination of specimens not always judiciously selected 
by. others ; frequently from such as are torn from the 
rocks, and thrown ashore in storms, when the root or 
means of attachment is generally wanting. 
The older. botanists, such as Clusius, the Bauhins, 
Barrelier, and gg a contented ng Nc win gi- 
ing very short descriptions, or a few figures of sea 
aa PO bout, the Se Reaumur first examined 
the parts of fructification in some fuci.. He fell into a 
mistake similar to that which long prevailed concern- 
ing the seeds of ferns and mosses ; in considering as 
seeds what are. truly capsules, or tubercles, containing 
seeds. . The opinions of Reaumur seem to have been 
Flora Scotica, p. 964, 't. $2, (The first time that any species of fucus is mentioned, a good 
A 
Fuci. 
History. 
Reaumur. 
