260 M. Miiller on the Development of Cliara. 



very readily formed into globular masses. This may be very 

 easily seen by the action of iodine, in the lowest simple elon- 

 gation of the nucleary membrane (figs. 7 and 8). This lower- 

 most portion of the stem is always filled with the cytoblastema as 

 far as the first internal cell, whilst the rootlets are separated at 

 their base from the interior of the nucleus by septa which have 

 likewise originated from cytoblasts by the formation of cells, so 

 that it empties its contents at once into the former subdivision. 



The ready tendency to spherical aggregation of the cytoblas- 

 tema favours the formation of the cytoblasts, or rather constitutes 

 their very commencement. When this fluid cytoblastema is taken 

 up endosmotically by the cells, we see how it is also deposited 

 between every two septa of the cells ; hence in each segment of 

 the stem (fig. 7), separate globular masses are soon formed in the 

 very substance of the cytoblastema with which the formation of 

 the cytoblasts commenced. Increasing rapidly in circumference, 

 their outline appears sharper, and in a short time they become so 

 swollen as to protrude the cell-membrane of the axis externally, 

 in the form of a bladder. The process continues until the vesi- 

 cular projections have become cylindrical (fig. 8). It then ceases 

 in the branches, between the articulations of which the same pro- 

 cess subsequently commences for the formation of the shoots. On 

 the further evolution of these to form new plants the cells be- 

 come utricular (figs. 6, 10). Finally a new cell-formation com- 

 mences in them by cytoblasts, as we may certainly suppose to 

 happen in the main stem, since in this case it is merely a simple 

 repetition of its formation. By this new cell-formation the apex 

 of a utricular cell is protruded like a knob (fig. I, a very early 

 stage !), and we have a new stem presented to our view, which is 

 capable, like the main stem, of further development. This pro- 

 perty of the plants, to form new individuals by intercalary growth, 

 explains the great power of difiiision of the Charm, which is so 

 considerable, that when a Chara has been removed from the 

 water we cannot determine in most cases its true point of attach- 

 ment to the soil. We have a large number of separate plants on 

 a single plant. 



In fig. 9 we have the complete process of cell-formation before 

 us. The two upper cells are separated from the membrane 

 of the stem by the action of iodine. The remains of the cyto- 

 blasts are still distinctly perceptible at the walls. Here and in 

 fig. 7, mucilaginous threads arise from them, and are diffused in 

 the form of a web throughout the cells, as we frequently see in 

 Algse. On account of the great transparency of the object (fig. 9), 

 it could not be ascertained whether currents occurred in the sap ; 

 these threads cannot be confounded with them, as they are co- 

 loured brown by iodine. Generally speaking this can rarely be 



