coarsely toothed or more or less entire, with a few distant, small, or oblite- 

 rated teeth : very variable in this character. Fruit-leaves similar in form 

 and position to the ordinary leaves, but shorter and generally broader, con- 

 taining very many immersed spore-cavities {scaphidia). Spores and antJie- 

 ridia in different cavities. Colour a dull olive-brown, becoming darker in 

 drying. Substance very tough and leathery, somewhat horny when dry. 



This is one of the gigantic Mucoids of the Southern Ocean, and 

 is allied to another giant of the North Pacific, namely, Phyllo- 

 spora Menziesii. The nearest affinity with Phyllospora in the 

 south is the Landshurcjia quercifolia of New Zealand, a plant 

 which I was formerly disposed to place in Phjllospora, but which 

 differs somewhat in the evolution of the frond. Both genera 

 differ from Sargassiim in having their spore-cavities contained 

 in unchanged or nearly unchanged leaves, instead of being lodged 

 in proper receptacles. 



The root of the present species is curiously formed, and in old 

 specimens the disc, from the middle of which the stem springs, 

 becomes deeply cup-shaped. The substance, when old, is very 

 hard and woody; and when cast ashore, these roots resemble 

 little birds'-nests more than anything marine. They are cast 

 up in large numbers at the close of the year. 



Fig. 1. Apex of a branch of Phyllospora comosa. 2. Eoot and base of 

 stem ; both of the natural size. 3. Section of a fruit-leaf, somewhat mag- 

 nified. 4. Vertical section of a spore-cavity or scapJddimn^ — more highly 

 magnified. 



