99 



Over both the surfaces of lamina, both younger and older, minute 

 dark dots are thickly scattered, which are easily visible by naked eyes. 

 In a cross-section of lamina we find beneath the cortical layer a roundish- 

 triangular or depressed-conical, deep reddish-brown mass enclosed in a 

 hyaline bag, situated beneath a minute hole left in the epidermal layer 

 (Fig. 14). On the surface-view of lamina, epidermal cells appear to 

 converge towards the hole (Fig. 13). The chemical nature of these 

 masses I did not study. It may perhaps be an excretion. I mention 

 this here especially, for the presence of these clots in this species is so 

 characteristic that it is sufficient in itself to distinguish the species from 

 all others. 



The form of lamina is lanceolate arising from very roundish ovate 

 or somewhat cuneate base. The cross-section of the stem is ancipitous 

 being much flattened, and the central portion is often occupied by a hole. 



On the Sporophyll of Alaria Crassifolia Kjellm. 13 



Noni. jap. Ghigaiso. 



Since Kjellman's discovery of this species fructified sporophylls 

 have remained unknown. I have been fortunate enough to get in my 

 possession a fructified specimen collected at the province Rikuchu and 

 various stages of sporophylls have been studied by me. My specimen 

 measures 35 cm in length, the greater part having been eroded. In a 

 fully grown frond, the lamina attains a length of 1 metre with a breadth 

 of 12 cm. The specimen in question carries some 18 sporophylls on 

 one side of the rachis, while a few older ones have fallen away. Some 

 4 or 5 sporophylls on each side, counting from below, have lost their 

 greater part by decay and one or two next above are just in fruit, the 

 remaining being still younger and sterile. 



At the beginning of sporophyll-formation a small elevation is formed 

 along the side of the rachis. The elevation elongates gradually in a 

 linear falcate manner and dilates for the most part, leaving a short 

 basal portion unchanged as a subcylindrical pedicel. As the sporophyll 

 elongates more and more, it becomes straighter and the greater part 

 becomes much thickened, leaving the upper portion thin and mem- 



i) Kjellm. et Petersen Ibid. p. 276. Tab. 10. Fig. 9-12. 



