226 SEA MOSSES. 



Genus.— CHONDRUS* Lam. 



CHONDRUS CRISPUS,f Lyngb. 



This is the famous " Irish Moss " of commerce. 

 It is collected in large quantities on our eastern 

 coast, exposed to the sun to dry and bleach, and 

 then sold to the grocer for his customers to make 

 blanc mange of. It grows very common upon the 

 rocks between tides, and a little below, and is as 

 variable a plant as it is common. It is so well 

 known in the East that it hardly need a special de- 

 scription. For others, I may, perhaps, venture to ap- 

 pend a brief account. 



The fronds are from three to six inches high ; 

 thick, tough and leathery. At first, it is a flattened 

 stem ; this, at the height of an inch or more, when 

 it is from one-eighth to one-half an inch broad, 

 forks widely. Thence, at varying distances, the parts 

 divide and sub-divide, in the same way five or six 

 times. The frond exhibits all the possible variations 

 between the long and narrow, and the short and 

 wide, and all shades of color, between an olive green 

 jid a very dark purple, or jet black. 



The purple and other dark shades are apt to be 



* Chondrus = Cartilage. 

 t Crispus = Curled. 



