Clare Island Survey — Marine Algae. 15 St 



On firm, well-drained areas, the branches are cylindrical or nearly so, and 

 the whole very short and compact. On wetter areas the shoots are flatter 

 and the growth lax, but it is frequently checked by competition with 

 Rhizoclonium and Enteromorpha. In other cases, the phanerogamic vegeta- 

 tion in damp soil becomes rank and tall, and then Fucus, when present, tends 

 to assume the form of var. bcdticus (e.g., at Leenane). Fruiting specimens are 

 always rare. 



The plants apparently live for many years, and increase entirely by 

 vegetative methods, proliferations being often abundantly produced from all 

 parts of the shoots. During the spring-tides a certain amount of sand and 

 silt is doubtless deposited, and new shoots continue to arise, whilst the basal 

 portions gradually die away. It is difficult to trace the basal end of the 

 shoot for more than 1 or 1J inches below the surface of the soil. The fact 

 that the plants are largely embedded enables them to avoid desiccation 

 even in the hottest weather during the nine or ten days which elapse 

 between each spring-tide. The same fact also meets the difficulty with regard 

 to the presence at so high a level of the mid-littoral species F. vesiculosns. 

 In the case of var. volubilis, no one can doubt that the large, vesicled 

 forms (vide Baker, '12) are derived from F. vesiculosns ; yet under the 

 peculiar conditions of the salt-marsh they occur well above the limit 

 recognized as normal for that species. Thus the high level at which 

 var. muscoides is found is no objection to its being a variety of the same 

 species. 



In certain localities, the presence of scattered plants of Statice maritima 

 is a characteristic feature. The mossy carpet of Fucus appears to modify 

 the growth of Statice, so that it forms small rosette-like plants instead 

 of the familiar clumps. The leaf-scars may be traced for some distance 

 below the ground-level, and the plants are evidently of considerable age, 

 In May and June the pink blossoms of Statice against the background 

 of Fucus produce a striking effect. The photograph on Plate YI 

 was kindly taken by Mr. G-. Massee from a tuft brought home in May, 

 1911. 



As far as has been ascertained, no vegetation of this nature has been 

 previously described ; certainly not from an ecological standpoint. It is 

 plentiful at Pioundstone, and is doubtless widespread in the west of Ireland. 

 The plant is characteristic of firm peaty soil, and is probably to be found in 

 our islands wherever peat runs down on a flat shore. 1 On the muddy ground 

 near the mouth of the Bunowen, where there is a covering of Boulder-clay, 

 the var. riniscoid.es vegetation is completely absent. 



1 Since writing the above I have seen similar associations in the west of Scotland (Loch Linuhe). 

 B.I.A. PKOC, VOL. XXXI. L 15 



