COLLECTED IN CEYLON. 103 
lowest node is sterile. This character used in the key to Braun and 
Nordstedt’s * Fragmente’ to divide the numerous varieties of this species 
into two primary sections does not appear to be an entirely satisfactory one. 
The coronula varies from nearly straight in the Dikwella plant to broadly 
spreading in that from Tangalla. The oospore of the Dikwella plant is about 
600 u long, that of the Tangaila and Amblangoda plants as much as 725 a. 
The anterior bract-cells exceed the fruit, being in some cases nearly double 
the length. The spine-cells are short (longest in the Tangalla plant) and on 
some stems scarcely visible. 
This species was first discovered in Ceylon by Lebeck in 1798. It was 
collected by Trimen in 1881 in Colombo Lake and at Belligam on the south 
coast. 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE 6. 
itella leptodactyla, J. Groves. 
Fig. 1. Plant, natural size. 
9. Base of whorl, showing one complete branchlet; x 6. 
3. Ultimate furcation of branchlets showing dactyls and young gametangia; x 20. 
4 
5 
6. Oogonium; X 70. 
7. Apex of oogonium with coronula: x 110, 
8. Oospore; x 70. 
(The magnifications are only approximate.) 
"> Apices of dactyls; x 70. 
