Marine Algae of Berwick-on-Tweed. 329 



Family— C ryptonemiaceae. 



SAECOPHYLLIS (Ktz.) J. G. Ag. 



Sarcophtllis edulis (Stack.) J. Ag. 



Epicrisis Flor., p. 265. — Fucus edulis, Stackhouse, Ner. Brit, 

 p. 57, t. 12. 

 Descr. Iridaea edulis, Harv., Phyc. Brit. 

 Fig. „ „ Harv., I.e. pi. 97. 



Exsicc. „ „ Wyatt, Alg. Danm., no. 78. 



Schizymenia edulis, Le Jol., Alg. Mar. Cherb., no. 137; Crouan, 

 Alg. Finist., no. 184. 

 Syn. „ „ J. Ag., Spec. Alg. it., p. 172 ; Kjellm., Spetsb. Thall. 



i., p. 23. 

 Halymenia edulis, Ag., Spec. Alg. i., p. 202 ; Hook., Fl. Scot., pt. 

 2, p. 107 ; Johnston, Fl. Berwk. vol. II., p. 227. 

 Hob. On rocks near low-water mark and below. Not uncommon. Fruit 

 Jan. — Feb. Berwick Bay, Burnmouth, Scremerston,Holy Island. 



The fronds of this species impart to fresh-water a pink colour, 

 and the "Rev. W. Gregor obtained a fine lake from an infusion 

 with the assistance of alum."* It seems probable that the 

 rouge used by the ladies of ancient Greece and Rome was 

 obtained from this species and other Rhodophycm with broad flat 

 fronds, such as Rhodymenia palmata, Schizymenia Dubyi, Calli- 

 hlepharis ciliata, Calliblepharin jubata, Callophyllis laciniata, etc., 

 which are abundant in the Mediterranean. Most modern writers 

 on classical antiquities, however, state that Orchella weedf was 

 the plant from which this rouge was obtained, but had that been 

 so one would have expected the word /Sguoc not <pfi%og \ to have been 

 used. Moreover it is hardly probable that the ladies would have 

 used a claret colour to improve their complexions. || Dr. R. G. 

 Latham § seems to think that the word Fucus came to denote a red 

 or purple colour, not because such a dye was obtained from sea- 



* Greville. 



fRoccella tiuctoria, B.C., or Rocella i'ueiformis, Ach. 



T/3giW and Vfixos like Alga and Fucus seem to have differed only 

 in size. 



|| T. Holyoke in his Dictionary published in 1677 defines Fucus thus : 

 " Genus Alg* quo infectores utuntur, et mulieres exalbidaj genarum 

 colorem purpureum, roseumque mentiuntur." 



§ R. G-. Latham, M.D. A nirfionarv of the English Language. 

 1 Q 



