THE \l.<; K OF COMMONWEALTH BAY LI I IS. 9 



central stipes continued beyond the origin oi the upper pair of laterals [or about 1 cm., 

 and terminated in a uarrow Lamina, the smallesl oi the six. The whole Erond was 

 flattened in the one plane. The laminae all bad distind stipels; those ol each pair 

 were very unequal. They were broadly or narrowly lanceolate, the laterals very obtuse 

 Lt is evident thai the terminal lamina is the youngest, and thai the growth is 

 acropetal. 



(Plate 2.) 



3. Our third example justified the generic and specific names. It consisted of 

 a clump of twenty-one plants. At first sight it .seemed a.s if they were growing from a 

 common attachment, a solid basal mass of about L3 cm. diameter, and heigh.1 of 7"5 cm., 

 but it was soon evident that the several plants could be easily parted, and thai the b 

 mass consisted of the bases of the several plants united together by the intergrowing 

 and mutual attachment of the leathery holdfasts springing from each of them. The 

 longest frond attained a length of 213 cm., with a diameter of 3125 cm. at the base. 

 This plant bore three alternate laterals before it terminated in the apical lamina. This 

 lamina was 575 cm. long, with a maximum diameter of 32-5 cm. Other laminae attained 

 the length of 13*2 cm., with maximum width 23-75 cm., and 140 cm. with maximum widl h 

 31-25. In this older form the undulation of the lamina' was marked. Practically the 

 mature plant is seen to be as it were merely an enlargement of a quite early stage. Also 

 our series fully justifies Skottsberg's view that Phyttogigas is characteristically a 

 Laminarian in its external form. 



One fragment showed a marked variation in the outline of the lamina. It 

 (■(insisted of a portion of a flat stipes (about 10 cm. present), which expanded into an 

 apparently orbicular lamina. The margin was incomplete, but the length of the frond 

 was clearly reduced, while the width was remarkably extended. 



(Plate 3.) 



Unfortunately, in none of our specimens could any appearance be detected of 

 organs of reproduction. 



The structure of Phyttogigas is well illustrated by A. and E. S. Gepp, who firsl 



described [it see National Antarctic Expedition, "Discovery," vol. iii. 1907, tor full 

 details]. Additional figures are given by Skottsberg. Swedish Expedition. " Antarctica." 

 Phaeophycs< u, 1907. 



Distribution. Phyllogigas has a. wide range in Antarctic Seas. It was obtained 

 by the "Antarctica," from both South Georgia and near Graham Land, and by the 



Discovery," at Cape Adare and Coulmeiu Island in Victoria Land. Fragments w 

 dredged by the " Pourquoi Pas?" at a depth of 40 in. near Weineke I. Thus Common- 

 wealth Hay furnishes an intermediate locality. This Laminarian grows in Common- 

 wealth Ray abundantly, at depths of from 1«> to 4<> metres. 



