BY THE SEASIDE— PLANT LIFE 



Qon-swimming individual is formed which, after a 

 short resting period, germinates and grows into a 

 new sea weed. The remainder of the zoospores will 

 come to rest later and germinate to form new plants 

 just as though no fusion had taken place with two 

 of their number. Here we see the beginnings of 

 male and female increase amongst sea weeds; the 

 individual which first comes to rest is looked upon 

 as the female and the one with which it fuses as 

 the male. 



Amongst the Wracks, of which there are a number 

 of kinds, the methods of increase reach a higher 

 stage. First of all let us describe the plants, so 

 that we may know what to look for. They all 

 belong to the group of brown Algx, The " Chan- 

 nelled Wrack " is, when fully grown, about six 

 inches long. It is much branched, often almost 

 yellowish in colour and grows just below high-water 

 mark. Along one side of the plant there is a 

 moderately deep groove. Here we may note that the 

 Wracks grow in zones from just below high water 

 mark to low water mark. A little nearer the sea than 

 the haunts of the Channellel Wrack, we shall find the 

 Flat and Bladder Wracks. The former is but six 

 inches or so in length, with flat, forked fronds ; along 

 the centres of which runs a single rib. The Bladder 

 Wrack varies considerably in size. It may be 

 smaller than either of the Wracks we have already 

 mentioned or it may be two or three feet in length. 

 It is the one seaweed familiar to everybody. Nearer 

 (to low tide mark we shall encounter the Knobbed 



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