Chapter V: Part I: Marine Algae (2)

^E. cristata.^ Frond one inch to five inches high, membranaceous,
broadly spreading; divisions wide and numerous, ultimately becoming
fine like minute branchlets, each one of which, under a glass,
shows a notch in the tip. This beautiful, bright-red alga is found
in abundance north of Cape Cod. It differs from /Delesseria alata/
in having no midrib or veins. It grows in deep water on stones,
shells, and algae. (Plate XXI.)

GENUS ^Rhodophyllis^

("/Rosy leaf/")

^R. veprecula.^ Frond two to five inches long, one fourth of an
inch to one and one half inches broad, membranaceous, forked;
margin covered with leaflets which are in turn edged with minute
branchlets; color deep red. It is found on the northern New England
coast. (Plate XXI.)

GENUS ^Rhabdonia^

("/A wand/")

^R. tenera.^ Frond six to eighteen inches long, cylindrical,
fleshy, translucent, juicy; irregularly and profusely branched,
branches longest at the base, erect, tapering at both ends,
numerous branchlets; sometimes the main stem runs through
the plant, sometimes it is lost in the [pg084] branching;
spore-masses sometimes form knotty bunches on the side of
branches. It resembles a large /Cystoclonium purpurascens/. It is
characteristic of Long Island Sound, and is not found north of
Cape Cod, but common from there southward along the whole Atlantic
coast. (Plate XXI.)

^R. Coulteri.^ This species is common on the Pacific coast, and
differs from /R. tenera/ in having a more pronounced leading stem,
and branches shorter and crowded at the top of the frond.

GENUS ^Eucheuma^

^E. isiforme.^ Frond grows in tufts a foot or more in diameter;
stems branch in all directions from a central point, and taper
gradually to the end; secondary branches spread to all sides;
all branches swollen at intervals and armed with several spines
spreading from a conical base; color dark red, becoming on exposure
orange or yellow, and at length semi-transparent and horn-like;
substance firmly cartilaginous. Abundant at Key West.

ORDER =RHODYMENIACEAE=

SUBORDER ~SPHAEROCOCCEAE~

GENUS ^Gracilaria^

^G. multipartita^ ("many times divided"). Frond four to twelve
inches long; starting from a short, cylindrical stem, it flattens
and broadens as it rises, dividing in an irregular, forking manner,
or cleft into palmate segments which broaden as they rise, and
which divide in the same manner; often cleft or branched on the
edges; conical spore-masses scattered over the frond during July
and August; dingy purple in color. The plant is variable and
sometimes is difficult to determine. It is common from Cape Cod
southward. A narrow variety is most abundant in Long Island Sound.
In Florida and on the California coast there are broad varieties
which may be mistaken for /Rhodymenia/. (Plate XXI.)

GENUS ^Hypnea^

^H. musciformis^ ("moss-like"). Frond six to twelve inches long;
main stem running through, thick below and tapering to the size of
a bristle; much and irregularly branched, especially at the base;
branches wide-spreading in every direction, and longest at the
base; branches branch again in the same manner; all parts beset
with short, horizontal spines; color purplish-red. A characteristic
feature, by which the plant can easily be distinguished, is that
the ends of the long branches are naked and are turned over like a
hook, or nearly twisted. It is found washed ashore, often in large,
intricately twisted tufts, from Cape Cod southward and on the
Pacific coast.

SUBORDER ~RHODYMENIEAE~

GENUS ^Rhodymenia^

("/Red membrane/")

^R. palmata^ ("hand-shaped"). The plant commonly known as dulse.
Frond rises from a disk in a short cylindrical stem which spreads
into a thin, broad, fan-shaped membrane six to twelve inches long
and four to eight inches wide at the top; deeply and irregularly
cleft into many wedge-shaped segments; margin usually entire, but
often with leaflets; ends of segments indented, showing where
divisions will ultimately occur; color dark purplish-red. It grows
on rocks and on algae below low-water mark, and is common on the New
England and California coasts. This is an edible alga, and, like
/Chondrus crispus/, is an article of food in seaports. (Plate XXII.)

GENUS ^Lomentaria^

^L. Baileyana.^ Fronds two to five inches high; grows in tufts;
filaments tubular, irregularly branched; branchlets often all on
one side; branches and branchlets curved or arched, and tapered at
both ends; color brownish-red. It is found washed ashore from Cape
Cod southward. (Plate XXII.)

GENUS ^Champia^

^C. parvula.^ Frond two to six inches long, irregularly branched;
grows in tufts; filaments hollow and constricted, so that they
appear somewhat like a string of beads; color brownish-purple. It
is found washed ashore from Cape Cod southward. (Plate XXIII.)

GENUS ^Chylocladia^

^C. articulata.^ Frond filamentous, three to twelve inches long,
hollow, constricted at intervals; branches emanate from constricted
joints; has the appearance of a series of pink, delicate, oval
sacs. (Plate XXII.)

GENUS ^Plocamium^

^P. coccineum^ ("scarlet"). Frond a flat, semi-cartilaginous main
stem one eighth of an inch, or less, wide, three to eight inches
long, with alternate branches of unequal length emanating from the
edges; branches have alternate branchlets arranged in groups of
three or four in a row; branchlets have pinnulae on the upper side,
like the teeth of a comb (this peculiarity in branching makes the
genus easy to identify); color dark lake-red. It is not found on
the eastern coast, but is plentiful in California. (Plate XXIII.)

SUBORDER ~DELESSERIEAE~

GENUS ^Nitophyllum^

^N. laceratum.^ Frond expands from narrow base and divides almost
at once into long, narrow, strap-shaped segments; minute leaflets,
showing [pg086] a dot or spore-cluster, occur at intervals on the
margin; plant six to eight inches long; thin and silky in texture.
Abundant on the California coast. (Plate XXIII.)

^N. Ruprechteanum.^ Frond one foot to two feet long, spreading
from narrow base and dividing by forking into deep-cut, broad,
strap-like lobes; top divisions rounded; traversed lengthwise by
parallel veins; margin of the older parts bordered with a narrow
frill of thin ruffled membrane which sometimes extends also over
parts of the surface of the frond; substance somewhat rigid; color
dark red to purple. It is found on the California coast. (Plate
XXIV.)

^N. punctatum.^ Frond six to twenty inches long and of the same
width, dividing in a forking manner; crowded at top; when in fruit,
covered with dark dots; substance thin and silky; color rose-pink.
It is found on the California coast. (Plate XXIV.)

GENUS ^Grinnellia^

(/Named for Mr. Henry Grinnell of New York/)

^G. Americana.^ Frond a delicate membrane, rose-red or purplish in
color, leaf-shaped, four to eight inches long, one inch to four
inches wide, tapering at both ends; margin entire, but much waved;
a line of darker color through the center resembles a midrib;
masses of spores form dots or specks irregularly over the whole
surface; grows from a disk and short slender stem in bunches on
shells and stones in deep water. It is found washed ashore from
Cape Cod southward, and is luxuriant in New York Bay, where it can
be found at any season, but is in perfection in August. (Plate
XXIV.)

GENUS ^Delesseria^

^D. sinuosa.^ Delicate, leaf-like membrane, with midrib and veins,
much indented and resembling in general outline an oak-leaf; four
to eight inches long, two to four inches broad; short stem; color
dark red, often flecked with green. It grows in bunches in deep
water, and is easily distinguished, since it is the only alga
having a midrib and veins, and resembling the leaf of a tree. It is
found washed ashore from Cape Cod northward. (Plate XXIV.)

^D. alata^ ("winged"). Frond rises from short stem, which flattens
and divides irregularly into many branches and appears like a
midrib, all bordered with narrow membrane one eighth of an inch to
one inch wide; frond two to four inches long; color light red or
pink. It is found on the shore from Cape Cod northward. (Plate XXV.)

^D. Leprieurii.^ Frond one inch to two inches long, very narrow,
with delicate midrib, forked, constricted at intervals; branches
start from constricted points; thin and delicate; color purple.
It is found in tidal rivers near New York, and is common on the
southern coast. (Plate XXV.)

SUBORDER ~RHODOMELEAE~

The genera included in this suborder are easily distinguished when in fruit by the spore-cases, or cystocarps, which appear [pg087] like little balls, either adherent to the branches, or raised on short stalks. It is the largest group, and contains many of the most beautiful of the red algae.

GENUS ^Polysiphonia^

("/Many tubes/")

A filament of ^Polysiphonia^ appears, when seen under the microscope, like a bundle of filaments made up of a central tube, or axis, surrounded by a number of other tubes. It is by the number of these parts, called siphons, which vary in number from four to twenty, that the species is determined. In some plants the siphons are surrounded by a layer of cells, called corticating or bark cells, which give the filaments a solid, uniform appearance. In others the siphons are naked, and the filaments then seem striped or banded with color. It is difficult, without a microscope, to be sure of the classification. There are, however, other characteristics which separate many of the species, and some of these are described below. Two hundred species of /Polysiphonia/ have been named by algologists. The plants are plentiful on all shores, especially in warm, shallow waters. Some species are perennial, but most of them are annuals and disappear in winter.

^P. fastigiata.^ This species grows on /Ascophyllum nodosum/ in
a globular tuft, and appears like a dark-brown ball, one inch
to three inches in diameter. The frond is a dense mass of rigid
filaments branching many times in a forking manner and at broad
angles. The ends are of nearly equal length, giving the plant
a spherical shape. It is common from New York northward at all
seasons, and is easily recognized by its general form and place of
growth. Egg-shaped cystocarps, or spore-cases, occur in the ends of
the terminal filaments. (Plate XXV.)

^P. nigrescens.^ Frond three to twelve inches long, rigid below,
soft above; main stem thick as a bristle, but not always easy to
distinguish; branches alternate and densely branched at the ends;
siphons twelve to sixteen in number; filaments banded; color black
or very dark brown. (Plate XXVII.)

^P. parasitica.^ Frond one inch to three inches long; branched in
a pinnate or feather-like manner; filaments flat; all branches
and branchlets emanating from the edges and on the same plane,
giving a flat frond; color reddish-brown; resembles a fine /Ptilota
plumosa/; cystocarps on short stalks. It is found on the California
coast. (Plate XXV.)

^P. dendroidea.^ This is a variety of the species /P. parasitica/.
Frond four to five inches long; main branches placed at irregular
intervals, but the secondary branches at regular intervals and
alternate; branches [pg088] set at acute angles, giving the plant
a slender appearance; color black or dark brown. It is common on
the California coast. (Plate XXVI.)

^P. Baileyi.^ Frond three to six inches high, flat; branches
emanate from edges of the flat stems; main branches wide-spreading
and irregularly placed, secondary branches regular and alternate;
branchlets one eighth to one half of an inch long, covered on the
edges and around the top with incurved ramuli; branchlets broken
off near the base of the branches in mature plants; branchlets
usually uniform in length, but occasionally one is longer and
branches like the primary stem; color black. Common on the
California coast.

^P. Harveyi.^ Frond two to six inches high; grows in globose tufts,
and has a bushy aspect; branches stiff and wide-spreading; stems
and branches beset with simple or branched spine-like branchlets;
color dark brown, or black when dry; does not collapse when taken
from the water; cystocarps on short stalks; siphons four in number.
It grows on eel-grass and algae, and is common in Long Island Sound
and northward. Called locally /niggerhair/. (Plate XXVI.)

^P. Olneyi^ (dough-balls). Fronds two to five inches high, densely
tufted; soft filaments of hair-like fineness, much branched, and
spreading; when in fruit covered with tiny balls or cystocarps;
siphons four in number. It is common from Cape Cod to New York.

^P. fibrillosa.^ Frond four to ten inches high, rather robust
below; main stem quickly lost in a number of prominent stems and
spreading branches; irregularly and profusely branched, becoming
ultimately very fine; numerous branchlets covered with colorless
fibrils in hairy tufts, which give it a misty appearance; fibrils
so delicate that they do not show well in dried specimens, but a
distinct feature by which to recognize the species in the young
plant; color light to dark brown; cystocarps adherent to branchlets
or on short stalks; siphons four in number; main branches only
corticated. It is common in summer on stones and on eel-grass, at
low-water mark, from Cape Cod to New York. (Plate XXVII.)

^P. violacea.^ Fronds six to twenty-four inches high, pyramidal
in general outline; main axis with long, wide-spreading branches
at the base; branches rather robust and naked below, but numerous
and becoming very fine and tufted at top; cystocarps adherent or
on short stalks; siphons four in number; main stems corticated;
ultimate branchlets show articulations; color brownish-red. It is
common from New York northward. (Plate XXVII.)

^P. urceolata.^ Frond three to ten inches high; main stem
bristle-like; branches naked below, divided and subdivided above;
branches with short branchlets set at a wide angle and often
recurved; siphons four in number; shows articulations; color deep
red. Name refers to cystocarp, which resembles a pitcher. The plant
grows in loose tufts, and is common from New York northward and on
the California coast.

Variety ^formosa^. Filaments soft and finer than in /P. urceolata/;
branches long and flexuous; articulations five to ten times longer
than broad; color bright red. It grows in tufts sometimes a foot
long, and is found only in the spring.

^P. variegata.^ Fronds four to ten inches high; filaments thick as
a bristle below, and branched in a forking manner to the very top;
divided at long intervals below, at the top becoming of hair-like
fineness [pg089] and dividing rapidly, forming a densely
tufted mass, which collapses when taken from the water; color
purple-brown; when mounted, silky in appearance; filaments banded;
siphons six in number. It forms purple tufts on woodwork and on
eel-grass from Cape Cod southward.

^P. Woodii.^ Fronds four to six inches high; branches flat, long,
wide-spreading, emanating from the edges in one plane; younger
branches show articulations; ultimate branchlets inclined to curve
inward; color light brown. Found on the California coast. (Plate
XXVII.)

GENUS ^Laurencia^

^L. pinnatifida.^ Frond flat, thick, leathery; main stem with
opposite, or alternate, branches of about the same size and
character as itself; all pinnatifid, or cut on the edges into
branchlets, some of which are again divided; color bright purple,
often unevenly faded. It is found on the Pacific coast. (Plate
XXVIII.)

GENUS ^Dasya^

Chenille-weed.

^D. elegans.^ Fronds from six inches to three yards long; main stem
and branches cylindrical, and all densely clothed with a fine,
hair-like fringe, which gives the plant the appearance of chenille;
cystocarps on stalks along the branches; color pink or lake-red.
Out of water it seems like a mass of purple jelly. It is found at
or just below low-water mark from Cape Cod southward, and is very
plentiful in New York Bay. (Plate XXVIII.)

^D. plumosa.^ A species found on the California coast. The fringe
covering the stems consists of minute leaflets instead of hairs, as
in /D. elegans/. (Plate XXVIII.)

GENUS ^Bostrychia^

^B. rivularis.^ Fronds one inch high; color dark purple; branches
fine and irregularly bent. It grows where the water is not very
salt, and is found in patches on submerged logs near New York.
Common from Charleston, South Carolina, southward. (Plate XXIX.)

GENUS ^Rhodomela^

^R. subfusca.^ Frond six to eighteen inches long; main stem
cylindrical, and branching widely on all sides; branches longest
at base and gradually shortening to the top of the stem; branches
naked below, but at the ends profusely branched, forming tufts of
branchlets. It is a perennial plant, and changes in aspect with
the season. When mature it is stiff and coarse, and when dry it is
quite black. Common from New York northward.

^R. Rochei.^ This species resembles in form /R. subfusca/, but
is much finer and more delicate. In spring it is a soft, fine,
feathery, and beautiful [pg090] alga of a red-brown color. It
is found washed ashore, or in deep tide-pools, south of Cape Cod.
(Plate XXIX.)

^R. larix.^ Frond cylindrical, robust, six to fourteen inches high;
branches of unequal length standing out horizontally all around the
main stem; clusters of branchlets growing spirally around stem and
branches. Found on the northern California coast. (Plate XXIX.)

^R. floccosa.^ Frond four to ten inches high; less robust than /R.
larix/; stem and branches flat and divided in one plane; branches
alternate; ultimate branchlets somewhat incurved; color black. In
fertile plants the terminal branchlets are gathered in a mass.
Found on the California coast. (Plate XXIX.)

GENUS ^Chondria^

Plants of this genus are distinguished by having the ultimate branches attenuated at the base.

^C. dasyphylla.^ Frond four to eight inches high; general outline
pyramidal; branches alternate on main stem; stem and branches
covered with short, club-shaped (blunt at top, attenuated at base)
branchlets; cystocarps, or spore-cases, adherent to branchlets or
on short stalks; color light or dull brown. It grows in tufts, and
is common from New York to Cape Cod. (Plate XXX.)

^C. tenuissima.^ This species is similar to /C. dasyphylla/, but
is more slender, and the branchlets taper at both ends instead of
being club-shaped.

^C. striolata.^ A species similar to /C. tenuissima/. The
branchlets bear secondary branchlets, and the cystocarps are on
short stalks. It is plentiful in Long Island Sound.

SUBORDER ~CERAMIEAE~

GENUS ^Callithamnion^

These are very beautiful and delicate plants, growing in small, soft, silky tufts, bright red in color, with darker dots along the much-branched filaments. There are many species, and they are common on the northern shores of both oceans; but the different species are not easy to distinguish with the naked eye, and so but a few of them are described below. The special characteristics by which the genus may be recognized are: fronds filamentous, of cobweb fineness, one inch to six inches long, much branched, and closely crowded at the top; brilliant red color.

^C. americanum.^ Frond three to six inches long, densely tufted;
filaments of extreme fineness; main branches alternate; much
branched; main and secondary branches have pairs of branched
ramuli along the [pg091] branches; color rose-pink. It grows
on wharves and on algae below low-water mark, and is a common and
beautiful species. It is found (but only in the spring) from New
York northward, and is abundant in Long Island Sound. (Plates XXX,
XXXI.)

^C. Pylais[oe]i.^ Fronds three to six inches long, more robust
and darker in color than in /C. Americanum/; main and secondary
branches alternate, decompound, all bearing at short intervals
short opposite branchlets, which in turn are covered with ramuli.
It is found in spring on wharves and on algae from Boston northward.
(Plate XXX.)

^C. Baileyi.^ Fronds one inch to three inches long, with main
stem as thick as a bristle, and running to the top of the frond;
branches around the main stem longer at the base than at the
apex, giving the plant a pyramidal outline; branches also have a
main stem and short branches beset with branchlets; shrub-like in
aspect; color purplish-red. Common in summer from New York to Cape
Cod.

^C. seirospermum.^ Frond two to five inches high, pyramidal in
outline; has main stem and alternate lateral branches; branches
have secondary branches beset with delicate, erect branchlets;
hair-like in fineness. It is common from Cape Cod southward, and is
plentiful in Long Island Sound. (Plate XXXI.)

^C. byssoideum.^ Fronds one inch to three inches long; filaments
very delicate; main branches many times divided; secondary branches
long; many branchlets; rose-colored. It grows in globose tufts, and
is common in Long Island Sound. (Plate XXXI.)

^C. floccosum.^ Fronds three to six inches long, hair-like in
fineness; flaccid; main branches sparingly branched below;
numerous alternate branches above; all clothed with short, simple
branchlets; color dark brownish-red. The plant is so exceedingly
fine that it is difficult to distinguish the divisions. It grows on
eel-grass and on algae below low-water mark, and is found from New
York to Cape Cod. (Plate XXXI.)

GENUS ^Griffithsia^

(/Named for Mrs. Griffiths, an English algologist/)

These are among the most beautiful of seaweeds, because of their brilliant color and exceedingly delicate structure. They grow in deep water, and specimens cast ashore are usually torn and imperfect, but they may often be gathered from deep tide-pools, and sometimes are found growing on eel-grass. If placed in fresh water they discharge their coloring-matter and quickly decompose.

^G. Bornetiana.^ Fronds two to five inches high; filaments jointed,
the divisions being long and pear-shaped, growing shorter as they
near the top; repeatedly forked; very soft and fragile. It grows
in tufts, resembling corals; attains perfection in July, and
disappears later in the summer. Found from Cape Cod southward,
washed ashore after storms. (Plate XXXII.) [pg092]

GENUS ^Ptilota^

Feather-weed.

^P. serrata.^ Fronds three to six inches long, dark red in color,
cartilaginous; flattened main stem with opposite, flattened
branches, one of which is minute, so that it appears like alternate
branching; branches also have lateral branchlets and pinnulae,
looking like feathers or ferns; all branching in one plane, making
a flat frond. It is found in the drift on the beach after a storm,
and is common from Cape Cod northward, and also on the California
coast. (Plate XXXII.)

^P. elegans.^ Narrower and more delicate than /P. serrata/,
otherwise it has the same essential features. It is common in
summer from New York northward, growing on cliffs, under /Fucus/,
near low-water mark, and it is also found washed upon the beach.
(Plate XXXII.)

^P. densa.^ Frond three to twelve inches high, one eighth of
an inch wide, flat, cartilaginous; has leading stem with flat
alternate branches; branches simple or branched again; edges of
whole plant beset with notched, curved pinnulae alternating with
smaller feather-like pinnulae, giving a dense edge to all parts of
the frond. It is found on the California coast. (Plate XXXIII.)

^P. hypnoides.^ Flat, cartilaginous main stem, much branched, and
all beset with pinnulae. It differs from /P. densa/ in having the
alternate pinnulae straight and club-shaped, instead of toothed and
curved, and the plant is not so dense and compact. Found on the
California coast. (Plate XXXIII.)

GENUS ^Spyridia^

^S. filamentosa.^ Fronds four to eight inches long; filaments as
thick as bristles, irregularly and repeatedly branched; young
branches show articulations and seem to be striped; all branches
clothed with short, very delicate, transparent filaments, which
give the plant a hazy appearance; color purplish-red, which becomes
brown when dried; does not collapse when taken from the water. It
grows in tufts below low-water mark, and is found in the drift on
the beach from Cape Cod southward. (Plate XXXIII.)

GENUS ^Ceramium^

The pitcher-weed. This genus is easily recognized by the ends of the filaments, which are forked and incurved, resembling minute pincers or claws. The filaments are also more or less distinctly banded. It is widely distributed.

^C. rubrum^, red ceramium. This is a very common and robust
species, found everywhere, and growing on everything. It is
variable in appearance, becoming quite coarse when old, the
incurving, claw-like ends, which are characteristic of the genus,
being less pronounced. It branches by repeated forking, and, under
the microscope, shows a bark-like [pg093] layer of cells over
the whole surface, which make the ring-like bands on the filaments
less conspicuous.

Variety ^proliferum^. Fronds beset on all sides with simple or
forked branchlets. (Plate XXXIV.)

Variety ^secundatum^. Branchlets generally arranged on one side of
the filaments, or secund.

^C. strictum^ ("straight"). Brown or purplish-red filaments of
hair-like fineness, growing in tufts two to six inches high,
branching in narrow forks more and more closely as they reach the
top of the frond. There are no principal branches, the filaments
being of about the same diameter and regularly dividing in a
forking manner throughout. The filaments are banded, the red rings
being relatively very narrow. The white interstices at the base are
several times longer than broad, but shorten gradually until at the
top they are of equal length with the red bands. This species is
common from Cape Cod to New York.

^C. diaphanum.^ This species has comparatively stout leading
branches, with secondary alternate branches which are finer than
the main stems and divide in a forking manner throughout, and
ultimately become very fine. The color is brown or purplish-red,
distinctly banded. It grows on eel-grass and algae, and is found
from Cape Cod to New York. (Plate XXXIV.)

^C. fastigiatum.^ Filaments of hair-like fineness and of about same
size throughout; branched in regular forking manner throughout,
the divisions being wide and distant at the base, but gradually
becoming closer and narrower as they reach the top; the upper
segments about equal, giving a level top and regular outline in
mounted specimens; the terminal forks erect, or less incurved than
in other species; small points or branchlets emanate from some of
the nodes or joints between the bands of color; tufts globe-shaped,
two to five inches high; color lake-red. This species grows on
mud-flats and mud-covered rocks as well as on algae and eel-grass.

^C. tenuissimum.^ Fronds two to four inches high, densely tufted;
the forked divisions very wide or open; color rose-pink.

Variety ^patentissimum^. Fronds small; the forked divisions distant
and very wide open. A mounted specimen appears somewhat like
network. The species is common in Long Island Sound. (Plate XXXIV.)

GENUS ^Microcladia^

^M. Coulteri.^ Cylindrical, slightly flattened main stem; branches
set uniformly and alternately, short at the base, gradually
lengthening as far as the center, and from there diminishing to
the apex of the stem, giving a leaf-like outline. The same mode
of branching and the same outline are repeated in the branches.
The ultimate divisions are like forked divisions, and are somewhat
incurved. The plant is six to eight inches high, and in color is
of many shades of red and pink. It is found in abundance on the
Pacific coast at all seasons. (Plate XXXV.)

^M. borealis.^ Branches and branchlets placed on one side of arched
main stems; secondary branches curved in opposite direction and
bearing branchlets, also divided on one side only; color dark
brown. It is found on the northern Pacific coast. (Plate XXXV.)
[pg094]

ORDER =CRYPTONEMIACEAE=

SUBORDER ~GLOIOSIPHONIEAE~

GENUS ^Gloiosiphonia^

("/Viscid tube/")

^G. capillaris.^ Frond six to ten inches high, solitary or in
tufts; main stem cylindrical, solid above, hollow below; from about
an inch above the base densely beset with short, wide-spreading
branches arranged evenly and all around the stem; branches again
branched in the same way; branches and branchlets attenuated at
base and apex; soft, tender, juicy; shrinks much in drying. The
species is easily recognized by its delicate gelatinous substance,
tapering branchlets, and brilliant red color. It is found in early
summer in tide-pools on the New England coast.

SUBORDER ~GRATELOUPIEAE~

GENUS ^Halymenia^

^H. ligulata.^ Frond membranaceous, repeatedly and regularly
divided in a forking manner; the larger divisions one half of an
inch wide and growing very narrow at the top; four to five inches
high, spreading in a fan-shape; color rose-red. It is found at Key
West.

GENUS ^Grateloupia^

^G. Cutleria.^ Frond coarse, flat, variable; either simple,
long, and narrow, or short and broad, tapering at both ends, or
blunt at the apex, or deeply cleft into many segments; sometimes
with leaflets along the edges; height two to three feet; color
reddish-brown; in fading, changes to purple and green, and may be
variegated. When simple, the plant resembles /Iridaea/. Found on the
northern California coast.

GENUS ^Prionitis^

^P. lanceolata.^ Frond narrow, flat, smooth; leathery stems, which
branch irregularly and sparingly from the edges; branches bordered
with lance-shaped leaflets; color dark brownish-red; plant ten or
more inches high, and varies considerably. (Plate XXXV.)

There are other species, among them ^P. Andersonii^ (Plate XXXVI.);
all are easily distinguished by the lance-shaped leaflets. Common
on the Pacific coast.

SUBORDER ~DUMONTIEAE~

GENUS ^Pikea^

^P. Californica.^ Divisions of frond thick, narrow, cartilaginous;
central axis one eighth of an inch to one inch wide, three to four
inches high, thickly set with similar branches irregularly placed;
all bordered [pg095] with numerous forward-pointing branchlets,
which in turn have spine-like ramuli of various lengths; frond
flat, broadly spreading; dark red. It is common at all seasons on
the California coast. (Plate XXXVI.)

GENUS ^Halosaccion^

^H. ramentaceum.^ Fronds brownish-purple, six to fourteen inches
long, coarse and cartilaginous, cylindrical, hollow, compressed,
attenuated at the base; more or less covered with simple or forked
hollow branches half the size of the main stem. In exposed pools
the plants are short and densely branched; in sheltered places they
are larger and more delicate in texture. They are common on the
northern New England and northern California coasts. (Plate XXXVI.)

SUBORDER ~RHIZOPHYLLIDEAE~

GENUS ^Polyides^

^P. rotundus.^ Frond three to six inches high, cylindrical,
cartilaginous, repeatedly forked, ends obtuse; spore-masses form
numerous lighter-colored excrescences on the upper divisions of the
frond; dark red. Common from New York northward, in deep pools and
washed ashore. (Plate XXXVI.)

SUBORDER ~SQUAMARIEAE~

GENUS ^Peyssonnelia^

^P. Dubyi.^ Frond completely adherent to the rock or stone on
which it grows; color dark purple; somewhat calcareous; redder and
thicker than next species. It is found at low-water mark or in deep
water on the northern New England and northern California coasts.

GENUS ^Petrocelis^

^P. cruenta.^ Frond closely adherent, forming dark-purple velvety
patches of indefinite outline on rocks and stones. Common north of
Cape Cod.

GENUS ^Hildenbrandtia^

^H. rosea.^ Forms continuous pink incrustations of considerable
extent on stones and rocks at low-water mark. Common everywhere.

SUBORDER ~CORALLINEAE~

The genera of this suborder are characterized by a calcareous or stony incrustation of the fronds, which gives them the appearance of corals. Most of the species are tropical. [pg096]

GENUS ^Corallina^

("/Coral-like/")

^C. officinalis^, common coralline. Frond grows from a disk in
tufts more or less dense. The plant is rigid, and seems like
jointed, branched coral. The articulations are cylindrical at the
base, wedge-shaped and flattened above. Branches emanate from the
top of the articulations. The color varies from reddish-purple to
gray-green, and is often bleached white when exposed to the sun.
Common in tide-pools and on rocks at low-water mark from New York
northward. (Plate XXXVII.)

GENUS ^Melobesia^

This genus will attract attention, although it cannot be gathered. It is a thin, brittle, scaly substance of indefinite form, which expands horizontally and resembles a lichen. It forms brown and pink crusts on other algae and on rocks, stones, and shells.

ORDER =BANGIACEAE=

GENUS ^Bangia^

^B. fusco-purpurea^ ("brown-purple"). Fine, hair-like, unbranched,
dark-purple filaments, one inch to six inches long. It grows in
large patches on rocks and woodwork, floating free, but falling
into soft, silky, fleece-like masses when left by the tide. Common
on northern shores. (Plate XXXVII.)

GENUS ^Porphyra^

("/Purple dye/")

This plant, except in color, is like the green alga /Ulva/. In color it is purple of various shades. The species are named from variations in the outline of the frond. They are found everywhere, and throughout the year. The plants are edible, being the laver of commerce, eaten principally by the Chinese, who make them into soup.

^P. vulgaris.^ Frond a broad, thin membrane of purple color, three
to twelve inches across; margin much waved; sometimes attached at
the center, often widely expanded and folded, sometimes deeply
lobed. (Plate XXXVII.)

^P. laciniata.^ Differs from /P. vulgaris/ in being divided into
narrow segments or into wavy, ribbon-like forms. (Plate XXXVII.)