18a SEA MOSSES. 



Gon^%.— CRACJLARJA* Grev. 



Gkacii-aria MfLTiiAkTnA, Aa 



The many'timfS'tiiviiied Gracilaria is the only 

 rcprcficnl.nlivc of this genus, which grows in our 

 northern waters, and it is found on both the cast 

 and west coast, l>cing cjuilc common in S<^uthcm 

 CaHfomia. 'I'he narrow form, ani^ustissima, is very 

 plentiful in I^ng Island Sound and adjacent waters. 

 I have collected this variety in considerable quant i 

 lies in Trovidence river, in the month of A» 

 where I*rof. Hailey and Mr. Olncy found it in 

 abundance, many years ago. It has been reported 

 north of (\i|)e Co<l, by but one c^^' '--r, Mr. 

 C^ollins, who finds it quite plentiful n\ mc warm 

 waters and on the muddy bottoms of Mystic river 

 marshes, near Ik>ston, from May to November. 



The plant is an extremely variable one. It grnws 

 to a height of from six to twelve inches. It starts 

 with a short. c>lindncal stem. ITiis immediately lo- 

 gins to flatten, and directly exjwnds a narrowish 

 flat frond, which ahvays widens upward, till it is a 

 third or half an inch broad. Then it divides into 

 two to four segments, which arc, in the same way, 



• Cr^dkria =■ SIcadcr, giaccfuL 



