thick, from three to six feet in length, oblong, cloven into innumerable 

 narrow, ribbon-like segments. Spores abundantly formed in the wavy 

 margin of the stem, but not confined to this portion of the frond. They 

 originate in the cells immediately beneath the surface, and are closely 

 packed together, vertically, in large cloud-like sori ; they are at first linear- 

 clavate, at length elliptical ; their perispore drawn out at base into a slender 

 stipe. Colour a clear, brown olive ; greenish when young. Substance more 

 tender than in L. digitata. 



This is the largest British species of the Laminariece, its frond 

 in some instances forming, when spread out on the ground, a 

 circle twelve feet in diameter. Its common name is Furbelows, 

 and its aspect must be familiar to most visitors of the sea-shore. 



In modern systems it is generally separated from Laminaria, 

 and no less than three generic names have recently been proposed 

 for it, of which Saccorhiza, having the priority in publication, 

 has been adopted by Prof. J. Agardh in his recent work. L. 

 bulbosa differs somewhat, in habit, from other Laminaria, and 

 may perhaps be allowed to form a separate generic group ; but 

 the chief diagnostic character insisted on by the upholders of the 

 change is not valid. It is asserted that the spores are confined 

 to the frill of the stem. It is quite true that here they are most 

 abundant ; but they also occur in effused patches on the lamina, 

 as in other Laminariem. 



I am indebted to my friend John Nuttall, Esq., of Titoor, for 

 the specimen here figured, which is singularly characteristic of 

 the full-grown plant, and yet of so small a size as to come easily 

 into a quarto plate. 



Fig. 1. Laminaria bulbosa; a small, but fully formed specimen: — of the 

 natural size. 2. Section, with spores, in situ: — magnified. 3. Spores, of 

 various ages : — highly magnified. 



