475 
would point out as particularly characteristic of var. platycarpa that 
its main branches are distinctly continued along its whole length 
and set with short, alternating, lateral branchlets bearing receptacles, 
while Fucus spiralis L. typica — as I regard it, and to which as I 
said before I refer, e. g. Fucus Areschougii as a synonym — has 
all its branches, even the topmost 
distinctly dichotomous, and the 
latter terminating in receptacles, 
which are usually more or less 
swollen and roundish-oval, and 
occur terminally either 2 on each 
branch, or cordate if the bipartition 
is not complete. On observing a 
well-pressed herbarium specimen 
of a typical Fucus spiralis (e. g. 
Areschoug’s Exsicc. No. 54), all the 
receptacles will be seen to occur 
along the periphery of the plant, 
while in var. platycarpa they are 
situated along the main branches, beginning from somewhere near 
their base 1 . It is a pity that Kj ell man, who in N. I. refers this 
species to Fucus spiralis , does not give any reason for having in 
»Handbok« given it the name F. Areschougii. In his description of 
§ borealis Kjellman just writes in a footnote: — »If the name 
Fucus spiralis L. agrees with this species, then it must most pro¬ 
perly be applied to the northern form 2 .« 
With regard to forma liana (fig. 96), the latter is only a small 
dwarf form of f. typica. I have reported Fucus limitaneus Mont, as 
synonymous with this form on the strength of some specimens 
gathered in the Canary Islands by the late Mr. O. Gelert, and also 
because Thuret, 1. c. places it as variety of F. platycarpus. Further, 
Professor Sauvageau kindly sent me specimens of this form from 
1 In connection with this I would call attention to the fact that Rosenvlnge 
is quite of the same opinion, as he not only told me himself when speaking to 
him on the subject, but as he had also previously written to Sauvageau (cfr. 
Sauvageau, 1. c. pp. 22—23, Journal de Bot., tome 11, p. 211) who, however, partly 
misunderstood Rosenvinge, for he writes with reference to Fucus platycarpus: 
»Ce serait l’ancien F. spiralis de Linne, que Mr. Rosenvinge appelle F. platycarpus 
var . spiralis«, but »var.« is a misreading, Rosenvinge having written »ou«. 
2 »»Om benamningen Fucus spiralis L. afser denna art, sa ar den narmast 
att hanfora till den nordiska formen«. 
Fig. 96. Fucus spiralis L. f. nana. 1:1. 
(H. Westerg'aard del.) 
