40 - ^ - 



Chara INXONNEXA, n, j;^.-HuiTiilis, 3-4 cm. in alt, Caulis inermis, 

 inferne ecorticatus, superne imperfecte corticatus cellularum serie- 

 bus cum numero foliorum congruentibus disjuncts. Folia verticilli 

 7 — 8, uno velduobus ex articulis, foliola et fructiificationem gerenti- 

 bus, partim ecorticatis, partim haplostiche disjunctis corticatis, par- 

 tim diplpstiche corticatis; segmentis ultimis elongatis, i — 2-articu- 

 latis, cellula terminali mucronem formante ; corona stipularis e du- 

 plici cellularum serie, minima, inconspicua. Foliola plerumque 

 unilateralia, posteriora saepe evoluta, anteriora sporangio breviora, 

 non inflata. Sprorangium 8 — lo-striatum, t mm. long., coronula 

 brevi truncata; nucleo 600// longo. 



This exceedingly interesting plant was collected in Iowa by Prof. 

 C. E. Bessey. The lower portion of the stem is quite naked, and 

 translucent like Nitella\ the lower verticils consist of long Nitella-like 

 leaves which bear no nodes or bracts and have generally two articu- 

 lations, the termmal segment forming a short mucronate tip. These 

 leaves seem to me to have no stipules, though I have not been able 

 to examine fresh specimens. The lowest fertile leaves are always 

 entirely naked, and in these verticils are found a few rudimentary 

 leaves without nodes or bracts. In the upper part of the stem the 

 internodes of the latter become corticated in the primitive manner 

 described and illustratedln the figure. The character of the corti- 

 ♦ cation seems to be quite like that of Ch. unperfecta, A. Br. Ch, dis- 

 soluta A. Br., differs in a partial development of the lateral cells of the 

 node of the cortex, so that the space between the primary cells of the 

 cortex is filled at intervals, though spaces are left between the nodes. 

 Ch, i?nperfecta is, however, dioecious, and has quite long bracts. Ch. 

 dissoluta, to which this plant seems most nearly allied, differs in the 



more numerous nodes of the leaves, the larger and more striated 

 nucleus, etc. 



The upper leaves of this plant vary greatly in the same verticils; 

 two nodes are commonly found with bracts and fruit, the lowest in- 

 ternode having a perfect double cortex, the upper an imperfect, dis- 

 connected cortex, like the stem, the leaf above being entirely ecorti- 

 cated and quite long. Some leaves have two fertile nodes, with only 

 the lowest internode corticated in the disconnected, imperfect man- 

 ner characteristic of this plant ; while other leaves (generally but one 

 or two in a verticil) one entirely barren of fruit, bract, or node, and 

 have one or two simple articulations merely. Frequently, in the 

 upper part of the stem, the posterior bracts are quite plainly de- 

 veloped, but much smaller than the anterior. 



The plant is small and very dark green ; the stems are clothed with 

 the long straight leaves and are rigid with incrustation ■ 

 _ Chara crinita, Wallr. (Ann. Bot., 1815) ; Ch, horridula, Dethard- 

 ing, m herb. 1809 ; Ch. canescens, Lois., Notice, 1810 (''Description 

 imperfect, A. Braun) ; Ch. muricata, Hartmann, Skan. Flora, 1843; 

 Ch. condensata^ ^t v^rs. subjiexilis et erythrella, Wallm., 18^4; Ch, 

 ^W.,;^ Lessmg, N^^^^ Fl. Ross, in Linn., 1834; Ch. eryihraea, 

 Henng. m herb, Schmaper ; Ch. dioica et Ch. sphagnoides, Griffith 

 posth. papers. ^ o ? ? 



Stem low, mostly simple or sparingly branched ; cortical cells 



