Ser. Melanosperme^e. Fain. Laminariea. 



Plate CCCXXXVIII. 



LAMINARIA DIGITATA, 



Var. STENOPHYLLA. 



Lamixaria digitata stenophi/lla j whole plant dark brown j stipes slender, 

 flaccid, glossy, becoming compressed or flattened upwards ; lamina 

 wedge-shaped and tapering at base, much longer than the stipe, di- 

 gitate, its segments few, and very narrow. 

 Hafgygia digitata, var. stenophylla, Kiitz. Sp. Alg. p. 577- 

 Lamixaria conica, Bory, Diet. CI. d'Hist. Nat. vol. ix. p. 190. 



Hab. Common round the shores of the Orkney Islands, and the North of 

 Ireland. 



On Plate CCXXIII. I have figured a small specimen of the 

 ordinary form of L. digitata, and given a detailed description of 

 the species ; and I here figure an equally small specimen of 

 what is either a remarkable variety of that species or entitled 

 to specific distinction. My attention was first drawn to it by 

 my friend the Rev. J. H. Polleafeu, who directed me to some 

 excellent remarks on these Luminance, furnished by Rev. C. 

 Clouston, of Orkney, to • Anderson's Guide to the Highlands 

 and Islands of Scotland.' 



The differences between these varieties are so marked, that 

 the Orkney kelp-men have assigned peculiar local names to 

 each, calling the ordinary L. digitata (Plate CCXXIII.) Car//, 

 and the form here figured Tangle. I extract the following 

 contrasted characters of each from Mr. Clouston's memoir : — 



" Root. The fibres of the root of the Cuvy (L. digitata vera) are arranged in 

 longitudinal lines or rows, not whorls ; while the fibres of the Tangle (L. d. steno- 

 phylla) have no order at all. This arrangement of the fibres is particularly 

 evident, as the plant is frequently thrown on shore, having all except the stumps 

 worn away by friction. 



" Stipes. The stipes of the Cuvy scarcely ever exceeds four or five feet in length, 

 while its - circumference near the root is sometimes seven inches. It is so stiff as 

 to stand up almost perpendicular two-thirds of its height ; but droops at the top 

 from the weight of the frond. It is surrounded by a rough bark as thick as 

 pasteboard, which may be separated from it. Colour light brown; much in- 

 fested with parasitical plants, particularly the Ptilota plumosa and R.palmata, or 

 Dulse It tapers much towards the top, but retains its round figure till it 

 Bpreads immediately into the frond. The lower end tastes very salty and is not 

 ratable. The stipes of the Tangle, on the contrary, frequently attains the length 



