350 W. A. Setc/iell — Classification and Geographical 



cult to believe that we are dealing with a single species. There are 

 three sets of forms which are most conspicuous. The first has a 

 perfectly smooth stipe, with smooth sporophylls usually very little 

 dissected or even divided and often bearing large bladders. The 

 second is a form with a smooth stipe and sporophylls, but with 

 the latter ver}^ much pinnately dissected, often entirely divided up 

 into long capillary divisions, and with slender elongated bladders. 

 Finally a form occurs, in which the surfaces of the terminal blade, 

 the simple sporophylls, and the stipe are roughened Avith small 

 spines, which in old stipes are very closely set together. The blad- 

 ders are large and swollen. This is the form figured by Ruprecht.^ 

 It is impossible to tell from herbarium specimens how thoroughly 

 distinct these forms may or may not be, yet very young plants are 

 found having these different characters already present. 



Young plants possess a comparatively large terminal blade, which 

 is at first entire, but soon protuberances appear at the base, and as 

 growth proceeds the blade consequently becomes pinnately divided 

 as in EcMonia. The protuberances, however, are not confined to 

 the blade but appear also upon that portion of the transition-place 

 belonging to the stipe. The stipe increases enormously in length 

 and is throughout its whole length beset on both edges with sporo- 

 phylls, which are of definite growth, resembling those of Alaria. 

 In two of the forms mentioned above the sporophylls are little dis- 

 sected, but they are very much cut up in individuals of the third. 



The frond of Egregia is irregularly branched. The branches are 

 usually very long and arise from sporophylls which function as ter- 

 minal blades forming new sporophylls at their own transition -places. 

 The Egregiece, on account of the formation of sporophylls, both 

 at the base of the blade and the top of the stipe are intermediate 

 between the Alarieae on the one hand and Ecklonese on the other. 



Sy7iopsis of the Gefiera of the Laminar iacece. 



Tribe I. Laminaeiide^.— Fronds simple (except in Thalassiophyl- 



luni.) 

 Subtribe 1. Laminarieae. — Fronds provided neither w4th ribs, nor 



with perforations. Transition-place plane and unmodified. 

 1. Chorda, Stackh. — Fronds cylindrical, hollow, with diaphragms at 



irregular intervals. Sorus covering the entire surface. Para- 



physes destitute of a hyaline appendage. 



^ Mem. Imp. Acad. Sci. St. Petersb., t. vii, PI. 4. 



