45 



Sporangium io-12-stnatum, coronula connivente, nucleo 8-9- 

 stnato. ^ Fohola anteriora 3, sporangio multo breviora, posteriora 

 inconspicua. Stipulae minutae. Nucleus niger, 450-475 w longus. 

 Antheridium 550// diamctro. 



The striking peculiarities of this variety are the torsion of the 

 leaves (to the left, upward) ; the minute blunt spines ; small stipules 

 and very short bracts ; the connivent cells of the coronula; and the 

 small nucleus with fewer angles. All these differences would readily 

 serve to distinguish this form as a distinct species, were it not for 

 the fact that the aspera group is already large and its individuals 

 difficult to distinguish. Doubtless they all have a common origin, 

 and the variations are such as differences of climate, water, etc., 

 determine. I have not found any bulbs on the specimens from Prof. 

 Macoun, nor indeed, were any found on his Ch, aspera, nor did I 

 succeed in collecting them on Long Island. The plants in this 

 country seem to be in fruit in mid-summer. Our female plants seem 

 to be longer leaved with more open verticils; and the male plants have, 

 for the most part, shorter incurved leaves with one less node. "The 

 variety Macoimii differs but little from Ch. fragifera, Dur., which 

 is dioecious, has small bracts and stipules and long and slender 

 twisted leaves; but the cortex \% perfectly triplostichous. A long- 

 leaved form oiCh.fragilis^ Desv., sometimes has twisted leaves (forma 

 streptophylla^^Ch. Hedwigii, Ag.) 



Chara fragilis, Desv., {C/u vulgaris^ L., in part). — Tripiosiicha, 

 monotca. — '^Medium size, relatively slender and rather rigid. Stem 

 completely triplostichous and symmetrically coriicaied, smooth. Leaves 

 in a whorl, 6-9, usually 7-8, for the most part slender and rigid, 

 with 5-8 corticated segments and a very short tip of 1-2 naked cells. 

 Stipules commonly very small, consisting of t^vo series of small 

 papillae, the cells of the upper row larger, those of the lower smaller 

 and only partially developed. Bracts on the dorsum of the leaf ob- 

 solete ; on the upper sterile nodes all are often undeveloped ; the 

 anterior bracts of a fertile node, usually 4 in number, including the 

 prebracteoles, are sometimes shorter,' sometimes equal to, some- 

 times longer than the fruit, and the two anterior (prebracteoles) are 

 always the longer pair. Antheridia and sporangia single. Fruit oval 

 or elongated, larger than foetida and aspera. Coronula elongated, 

 with a conical, connivent or erect, rarely slightly divergent, tip. In- 

 crustation thin. Nucleus black, elongated, with sharp angles and 

 sharp spines, 550-660// long. Striae on one side of the sporangium 

 15-16, on the nucleus 13-14. Usually of a fine green color, often a 

 dark lake-green, always somewhat incrusted, when more incrusted 

 grayish-green, and when dry whitish-gray {jGh, hirta^ Meyen). The 

 incrusted forms are very brittle. On the leaves of the sterile verti- 

 cils there are scarcely any bracts. In deep water the species is 

 perennial, living by means of sprouts from the lower nodes of the 

 stem ; in drier places, annual. Very variable in size, length and 

 thickness of leaf (forma longijolia et hrevifolia^ iemdfolia et crasst/olia) 

 as w^ell as the length of the bracts, which has given rise to numerous 

 untenable species." , (A. Braun.) 



This species, like Ch. foetida, A* Br., is found all over the world, 



