P lant spre ading in la rg e patches o f g re a t extent, loosely a tta ched to its place o f growth.
Surculi from two to four inches in le n g th , laxly imbric a ted, creeping, flexuose, filiform,
o f a deep brown, sometimes a black color, bi'anched in a p in n a ted o r b ipinna ted
man n e r w ith p a te n t o r h o rizonta l pinnse, for th e m o st p a r t a lte rn a te , and s tan d in g two
o r th re e lines from each o th e r, sh o rt, b u t o f u nequa l lengths, a n d beset w ith s till
sh o rte r p a te n t i>innulaj.
Leaves (f. 4 ) biferious and distichous : a t th e base th e shoot is generally ba re , o r, a t
most, has th e leaves d is tan t and much decayed, while in th e o th e r p a rts they are
densely a n d alte rna te ly imbricated over th e whole u p p e r surface o f th e su rc u lu s : they
are a b o u t one th ird o f a line long in th e la rg e r branches, except a t th e ir apices,
where, as well as o n th e smaller ramuli, they are much smaller, and scarcely exceeding
ha lf th a t s iz e ; in th e fe rtile shoots, on th e contrary, th ey aj-e smaller a t th e base, and
gradually ina-ease in size towards th e ex trem ity ; th e ir shape is ovate, more o r less
approaching to rou n d , convex above, th e ma rgins a ’ little involute , especially towards
tlic ends o f th e leaves, which, indeed, in di'ied specimens, a re generally so m uch so as
to embrace th e u n d e r side o f th e su rc u lu s : th e ir color, like tlia t o f J . d ilatata, varies
from a deep p u ip lish brown lo a yellow o r d irty g r e e n ; above th ey a re g lossy: th e
cellules, o f which th e le a f is composed, a re small, roundish, foi-ming a m o st beautiful
m in u te reticulation. Attached to th e lower m a rg in o f th e le a f is an auricle, appressed
to its in n e r surface n e a r th e p o in t o f in s e rtio n , scarcely equalling th e tw e n tie th of
a line in len g th , obovate, inflated, h aving no visible opening below a t th e ba se ; on
th e th ird o r fo u rth p a ir from th e apex o f th e fe rtile shoots, however, a n oblong
opening is evident, an d in p roportion as th ey a re situ a ted n e a re r th e calyx, this
vesiculated appendage becomes m ore expanded, so tlia t, in th e second p a ir from th e
calyx, i t is ab o u t one fo u rth o f th e size o f th e leaf, oblongo-ovate, obtuse , convex
on its u n d e r surface, concave on its up p e r, th e m a rg in s revolute.
T h e perigonial leaves, from six to e ig h t in n um b e r, ai'e closely tiled over each othe r,
o f a roundish figure, ventricose ; tlie ir auricles, too, a re ovate, ventricose, a n d closely
imbricated.
The perichætial leaves (f. 6 ) , o f which th e re is one pa ir to each calyx, a re ovate, acute ,
and s trongly se rra ted, having th e ir auricles a b o u t onc -fo u rth o f th e ir size, oblong,
and acute , with revolute and laciniated m a rg in s : they a re appressed w ith th e ir in n e r
and keeled surfece to th e side o f th e calyx.
Stipules (f. 7 ) one to each p a ir o f leaves, subquadra te , lo n g e r th a n th ey a re broad, and
wider th a n th e stem, to which th ey a re closely appressed: th e ma rgins a re revolute,
th e apex em a rg in a tc , obtusely for th e m o st p a r t, b u t, as. they approacli th e calyx
(f. 8 ) , they become la i^ e r, and more deeply and acutely em a ig in a te , and th e extreme
o r calycine one is bifid, with lo n g , recurved, laciniated segments.
M a le F r u c t if ic a t io n situ a ted u pon la te ra l ram u li, so sh o rt, th a t, tak en w ith th e perigonial
leaves, th ey a re o f a roundish figure, in c lin in g to o v a te ; th e leaves a re , moreover, so
rema rkably convex o r ra th e r ventricose, th a t th e ma rg in s, where they m e e t on th e u p p e r
surface, a re defined by a deep lo ngitudina l gi'oove o r furrow. In each axilla a re two ov
more spherical anthers, in every respect resembling tliose o f J . dilatata.
m en t to th e anthe rs, a re destined, in all piobabUity, like th e fru it-b e a rin g ram u li o f many
species o f Fucus, to fora i with iheii- leaves la rg e r ramuli, and such as a re produced in other
pa rts o f th e p lan t. T h is a t least is c e rta in, th a t in those among th em in which a re found
anthe rs p a st perfection a n d fa st approacliing a s ta te o f decay, tlie leaves appear in full vigor
and of a n equal freshness with th e common cauline ones.
T h e male fructification, i t o u g h t to be remarked, may be seen on th e same individual as
with th e female, th o u g h i t is by fa r more ab u n d an t o n separate plants. So th a t, in this
instance, as I have also had occasion to observe in some othe rs, th e genus is to be considered
botli monoecious an d difficious. T h e g re a te r n um b e r o f an th e rs , in th e m o n th o f March, had
performed th e ir destined functions, in th e discharge o f th e pollen : so, too, had th e g re a te r
num b e r o f capsules ripened and dispersed th e ir seeds.
O f th e synonyms above quoted 1 dare n o t v en tu re to speak w ith confidence o f any, except
th a t o f Schmidel. I th in k , however, I am corre c t in those o f E n g l. Botany , Roth, and
Schreber.
R E F E R E N C E S T O T H E P L A T E .
1. 1. J . dilatata, n a tural size.
2 . The same magnified .......................................................................................................... ^
3 . E x tremity o f a f e r tile shoot, lower surface ......................................................... 4
4 . L e a f and auricle .............................................................................................................. 3
5 . Stipule ................................................................................................................................ 3
6. Portion o f a surculus, with auricles and stipules ................................................ 4
7 . Perichætial le a f and a u r ic le s .......................................................................................... 3
8. Calycine stipule ................................... ; .................................................................. 3
9. Portion o f a surculus, with male fructification ( 9 ) 4
10 . Anthers ( ? ) 3
1 1 . Upper surface o f the calyx ......................................................................................... 3
1 2 . Under surface o f the caly x , with the capsule ...................................................... 3
1 3 . The same with the capsule expanded.... ........................................................................ 3
1 4 . The same in the act o f dispersing its seeds ........................................................... 2
1 5 . Inside o f a portion o f the calyx....... .............................................................................. 1
1 6 . Calyptra and lower p a r t o f the peduncle .............................................................. 2
1 7 . Germen, with its style and a barren pistillum ................................................. 2
1 8 . Sty le ....................................................................................................................................... 1
1 9 . Inside o f an expanded capsule........... .............................................................................. 2
2 0 . Seeds ........................................................................................................................ 2 and 1
2 1 . S p ira l filaments, enclosed in their tubes ..................................................................... 1