THE FUGACES OF JAFAN. 77 



just referred to. The autlior^\ luuloubtcdly through some mis- 

 understandhig, remarks that the spores are contained in the swollen 

 upper half and the antheridia in the lower. Finally the whole of 

 the receptacle becomes much swollen, and, at the same-time, ex- 

 tremely gelatinous and easily corruptible. 



Remark on the synonymy. The vesicles and the basal leaves 

 are characteristic of the present species. The young and sterile 

 forms which are destitute of even a vesicle can be determined 

 without the least doubt by the unrivalled character of the basal 

 leaves; in a fragmentary specimen a vesicle enables us to surely 

 tell the species. A. study of a large stock of specimens from 

 various parts of our coast convinces me of the unreliability of all 

 other characters. 



J. Agaedh'-- found in collections from Korea, Saghalin and 

 Japan, some fragmentary specimens which had some characters 

 varying from tlie ordinary form of Sargassum Horneri. They 

 were more robust in texture, different in shape of leaves, and 

 were more densely ramiferous. He was, liowever, in some doubt 

 as to its specific value and noted it provisionally under the name 

 Sargassum spathulatum. In his later work'^' he claimed a specific 

 position for it. The essential character separating it from Sar- 

 gassum Horneri was the obtuse apex of the leaves. 



We have specimens from Sado Prov., Otaru Harbour, and 

 Kikuchu Prov., wdiich accord with the description of Sargassum 

 spathulatum with remarkable accuracy. The main stem is always 

 more robust, and the branches and branchlets, usually compara- 

 tively short, start out approximately : the leaves are spathulate, 



1) Tab. Pliyc. Bd. X. p. .'U. 



2) Spec. S.irg. Aubtr. p. 58. 



3) Anal. Alg. Cont. III. p. 50. 



