SEA-WEEDS. 
191 
Fig. 161 rep- 
resents a species 
of the Junger- 
mmnia comjplor 
,iata^ as repre- 
sented under a 
magnifier, a,^ a 
plant of natural 
size, in fruit. 5, 
the fruit magnified, showing the sheath, the yjeduncle rising 
from it, and the theca at top, not yet burst, c, the open cap- 
sule splitting and discharging the seeds, the theca empty, 
showing its four valves. 
288. Order Algce includes the sea-weeds and green mosses of 
vegetable cells seen floating on stagnant water, and sometimes 
vulgarly called frog-spittle ; they are almost always aquatics ; 
generally green or reddish. One genus of this family is the 
Fucus. The Fucus natans^ sometimes called the gulf-weed, 
is very abundant in the Gulf of Florida, and is found in vari- 
ous parts of the ocean, forming masses or floating fields 
many miles in extent. The plant seems to possess no distinct 
root, though it perhaps originally vegetated on some sea-beaten 
shore from whence it was by accident thrown upon the ocean's 
wave. The Fucus giganteus has a frond of immense length. 
Fig. 162-^ repre- 
sents three kinds 
of Fuci.f a is 
Fucus nodosus 
(knobbed fucus) ; 
this has forked 
fronds; the knobs 
appearing in the 
fronds are air- 
bladders, which 
render the plant 
buoyant upon the 
water ; it is often more than six feet in length. 5, Fucus ve- 
s'culosus (bladder fucus) ; here the air-bladders are mostly axil- 
lary, and at the sides of the midrib ; in some parts of Lapland 
it is boiled with meal, and given for food to cattle. <?, Fucus 
sermtus ; it has a beautiful serrate frond. The Fuci when 
burnt afford an impure soda, called Icelp. 
289. Order Lichenes. — According to Linnaeus, the Jifth Order 
of Cryptogamous plants contains the Lichens ; these are various 
See also Appendix, Plate viii., Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11. 
+ Fuci is the plural of Foot 
Sea-weeds— Fuci— Gulf-weed— Three kinds of Fuci.— 989. Lichens. 
