Ser. RuoposPerMEz. Fam. Rhodomelea. 
Pirate CCLXIV. 
RHODOMELA SUBFUSCA, ~%. 
Gen. Cuar. Frond filiform, solid, much branched, inarticulate, reticulated ; 
the axis composed of concentric layers of oblong, hyaline cells; the 
periphery of several rows of minute, irregular, coloured cellules. 
Fructification, 1, ovate capsules (ceramidia), containing a tuft of pear- 
shaped spores; 2, ¢e¢raspores immersed in swollen ramuli, or con- 
tained in proper pod-like receptacles (s¢ichidia) in a single or double 
row. Raopometa (4g.),—from podeos, ved, and pedas, black; because 
the species usually become darker in drying. 
Ruopometa svbfusca ; frond filiform, much branched; the branches irre- 
gularly divided, clothed with pinnated branchlets, and subulate, simple 
scattered or fasciculate ramuli; pinnules subulate; tetraspores con- 
tamed either in the somewhat swollen ultimate ramuli (in summer), 
or im proper branching stichidia (produced in winter). 
Ruopometa subfusca. 4g. Sp. Alg. vol.i. p. 378. Ag. Syst. p. 199. Spreng. 
Syst. Veg. vol. iv. p. 343. Grev. Alg. Brit. p.193. Hook. Br. Fl. vol. ii. 
p- 294. Wyatt, Alg. Damn. no.111. Harv. in Mack. Fl. Hib. part 3. 
p-197. Harv. Man. ed. 2. p. 79. Endl. 3rd Suppl. p. 47. 
Lopnura cymosa, Kiitz. Phyc. Gen. p. 435. 
GicartINna subfusea, Lamour. Ess. p. 48. Lyngb. Hyd. Dan. p. 47. t. 10. 
Grev. Fl. Edin. p. 289. 
SpHzrococcus subfuscus, Hook. F. Scot. part 2. p. 104. 
Fucus subfuscus, Woodw. in Linn. Trans. vol.i. p. 131. t. 12. Good. and 
Woodw. Linn. Trans, vol. ii. p. 212. Turn. Syn. Fue. p. 350. Turn. Hist. 
t.10. #. Bot.t.1164. Esper, Ic. Fue. vol. ii. p. 11. t. 117. 
Fucus confervoides, Huds. Fl. Ang. p. 591. 
Fucus variabilis, Good. and Woodw. Linn. Trans. vol. iii. p. 220. 
Fucovs setaceus, Wulf. Crypt. Aquat. no. 40. 
Has. On rocks and shells, in pools between tide marks ; sometimes on the 
larger Algze. Biennial or perennial. Spring and summer. Gene- 
rally dispersed round the coast. 
Guoer. Distr. Atlantic shores of Europe and North America. 
Descr. Root a small thin disc. Fronds generally tufted, from three to twelve 
inches in length, varying greatly in diameter, sometimes not thicker than 
hogs’ bristle, sometimes twice or four times as thick, tapering upwards, 
cylindrical, much branched. Branches long and virgate, sometimes undi- 
vided, sometimes forked, mostly alternate, imperfectly distichous, or spirally 
placed, well furnished, in summer, with alternate lateral secondary branches. 
These secondary branches are sometimes long, and repeatedly pinnate, some- 
times short and simply pinnate ; sometimes they are absent altogether, and 
their place supplied by numerous, scattered or clustered, awl-shaped, simple 
ramuli. These ramuli are rarely absent on the lower parts of the branches 
H 2 
