344 



that's it ; 



rock or stem of the supporting 

 plant, fixing themselves here and 

 there, and forming the rudiments 

 of future fronds. 



The uses to the mariner of weeds which 

 grow upon rocks are important. " Whenever 

 there are rocks under the water," observes 

 Captain King, " their situation is, as it were, 

 buoyed [indicated] by a mass of sea weed on the 

 surface of the water, of larger extent than the 

 rocks below, and rising some feet from their 

 surface. In many instances, perhaps, it may 

 cause unnecessary alarm, since it often grows 

 in deep water; but it should not be entered 

 without its vicinity having been sounded, espe- 

 cially if seen in masses with the extremities of 

 the stems trailing upon the surface." 



The red rock-leaved Delessaria, 

 6, is one of a beautiful genus, of 

 which there are about a dozen 

 varieties. They are plants of 

 very fragile texture, rarely found 

 entire, unless growing in rocky 

 pools, or drawn up in nets from 

 deep water. The leaves of the 

 Delessaria sanguinea are of a 

 rich red colour, and satiny tex- 

 ture, and from three to twelve 

 inches in length ; the short- 

 branched stem is fixed by a small 

 red disc. The fructification is 

 not observable when the plant is 

 in perfection, but forms on the 



cartilaginous midrib, after nearly 

 all the rest of the frond has 

 fallen away. When this plant is 

 perfect, it is scarcely equalled in 

 brilliancy of hue by any vege- 

 table production, the membra- 

 neous part of the frond being of 

 a vivid and glossy rose pink, the 

 midrib and veins of deep carmine. 

 Frequently small zoophytes are 

 found attached to it. 



Describing this beautiful plant, the Rev. J. G. 

 Wood says :— " The shape of the leaf, or rather 

 of the frond, so closely resembles that of terres- 

 trial trees, that at first sight few would attri- 

 bute the beautiful scarlet leaf, with its decided 

 midrib and bold nervures, to an alga. The 

 fronds are generally from two to seven or eight 

 inches in length, but they are not often found 

 exceeding five or six inches. A branch con- 

 taining eight or ten fronds, averaging five inches 

 in length, may be considered a good specimen, 

 and worth preserving, if the edges are entire. 

 There is a peculiar marine scent about this 

 plant, an ' ancient fish-like smell,' quite inde- 

 scribable, but not to be forgotten. A large 

 branch will retain this smell for months." 



The esculent iridcea, 7, consists 

 of a subcartilaginous cuneiform 

 frond, attenuated below into a 

 short stipe. Being an inhabitant 

 of deep water, it is most com- 

 monly found near the low- water 

 mark. The 7 

 fronds are from 

 four to eight 

 inches long, 

 deep blood- 

 red or purple, 

 changing to 

 greenish or yel- 

 lowish white, 

 upon exposure. 

 The fructifica- 

 tion is confined 

 to the upper 

 part of the 

 frond, which is 

 often sprinkled H55. 

 with minute protuberances, caused 

 by globular clusters of sporules 



