Fig. 78. SPHACELARIA FUSCA. 
Colour. Brown. 
Substance. Kigid ; but not coarse. 
Character of Frond, A tuft ; jointed throughout ; thread-like {filiform). Branches long and 
simple, bearing a few short, occasionally three-armed {trifid) branchlets. (See Plate.) 
Measurement. From 3 to 5 inches long. 
Fructification. Globose seeds {spores) borne on the branchlets. 
Habitat. Shores of Wales ; Sidmouth ; St. Michael’s Mount, Cornwall. 
Fig. 79. SPHACELARIA RADICANS. 
Colour. Dull greenish-olive. 
Substance. Rigid ; harsh. 
Character of Frond, Very short tufts spreading in patches on rocks. Tufts composed of 
jointed threads {filaments) slightly branched ; sometimes upright, sometimes lying 
flat ; sending out little fibrous roots from their lower side. 
Measurement. From J an inch to an inch high. 
Fructification. Globose seeds {spores) borne on the branchlets ; clustered ; abundant. 
Habitat. Various parts of Great Britain and Ireland. On sand-covered rocks between tide- 
marks. Not uncommon. 
Often overlooked from its insignificance. 
Fig. 80. SPHACELARIA RACEMOSA. 
Colour. Olive. 
Substance. Rigid ; hard. 
Character of Frond. Short tufts, growing on rocks. Tufts composed of jointed threads 
{filaments) branched in a forked manner {dichotomously). 
Measurement. An inch high. 
Fructification. Egg-shaped seeds {spores) on stalks ; in clusters ; several on a branchlet together 
{racemose). 
Habitat. Friths of Forth and of Clyde. Very rare. 
The grape-like fructification being very plentiful, there is no difficulty in recognising this 
plant when in fruit. It is allied to S. radicans, but is larger. 
36 
