286 MESSRS. H. AND J. GROVES ON 
During the earlier half of last century a number of Characeæ 
were collected in Cape Colony and Natal by German botanists ; 
but since that time little has been done in this direction, and the 
material in our National Herbaria is extremely scanty. The 
most interesting feature of the Chara-flora of Cape Colony is 
the presence of species intermediate between the two sections 
Diplostiche and Triplostichze, which in other parts of the world 
are fairly distinct. 
CHARA FRAGILIS, Desvaux, in Loisel- Notice aj. Fl. France, 
1810, p. 137. 
Vaarsche Vley, 11th Nov. 1897. No. 3561. 
A large stout form near the var. Zedwigii, Kuetz. 
C. TANYGLOCHIS, sp. nova. Caulis tenuis, diplo- vel triplo- 
stiche cortieatus. Aculei plerumque solitarii, magnitudine valde 
insquales, sepissime mucronato-papilliformes, sed infra nodos 
nonnullos elongati etiam usque ad duplicem caulis diametrum. 
Stipulodia admodum evoluta, cellulis serierum utrisque fere 
equalibus, binorum quisque szpe super pediculum sitis. Ramuli 
vertieillorum 8-9, articulis corticatis plerumque 5, ecorticatis 
1-2, nodis fertilibus 2-3. Bractee ad nodos fertiles 6-8, 
posteriores 1-2, abbreviate nonnunquam mucronato-papilli- 
formes, laterales longe acuminate fructum duplo superantes. 
Fructus longitudine circa *8 mm., crassitudine circa *47 mm. ; 
coronulâ longitudine ‘13-14 mm., ad basin crassitudine "2 mm. ; 
nucleo atro, circa 15-16 strias exhibente. Antheridium diametro 
':27—85 mm.  Monoiea. 
Diteh by the railway, near Muizenberg Vley, Cape Colony, 
14th Nov. 1897. No. 3564. 
A small slender plant resembling C. fragilis. Branchlets 
of the lower whorls straightish. Upper internodes rather 
short. Like the diwcious C. Kraussii, its relationship seems 
to be rather with C. fragilis and C. aspera than with other 
Diplostiehz, although the cortex is diplostichous rather than 
iriplostiehous. The sharp, well-developed, prominent stipu- 
lodes, each pair often on a definite stalk, and the conspieuously 
acuminate bract-cells, as well as the monacious character, 
readily distinguish it from C. Araussii and C. stachymorpha. 
