RED ALG^E. 213 



cation. If you find thrown upon - the beach, or 

 growing upon the rocks, between tides, a tangled 

 bunch of black, branched, crooked, very stiff, wire- 

 like sea-weed, half as big as your fist, or larger, 

 the wires as thick as large pins, or knitting-needles, 

 you may be sure it is A. plicata. 



It is very irregularly and profusely branched, 

 sometimes by widely forking, sometimes four or five 

 branches will grow out close together from the side 

 of the stem, and perpendicular to it; and the parts 

 spreading and bending by sharp angles in all ways, 

 the plant will be tangled and intricate, beyond de- 

 scription. 



Again, it will grow up, and by the upward ten- 

 dency of the branches, and something like regular 

 forkings, will attain a considerable perpendicular 

 height, six to ten inches, or so, and appear to have 

 some systematic plan of life. These forms, I have 

 collected somewhat abundantly at Newport. But the 

 first-described aspect is by far the most common. 



On being exposed on the beach for some time, 

 it will be found faded or bleached perfectly white. 

 It does not adhere to paper, and is altogether as 

 unmanageable a bit of vegetable crookedness and 

 perversity, as one would care to meet. It is too 

 common to require the naming of special localities. 



