M. Muller on the Development of Chara. 393 



come converted into pure amylum, in which state they partly 

 exist in the utricular cells of the stem, only here they are coloured 

 green by chlorophylle/^ 



§ 7. Systematic Position, 



This paragraph is not for the purpose of deciding upon the 

 systematic position of the CharcBj for that has been already spoken 

 of ; I merely wish to notice a few special points. 



It is evident from the above, that the formation of the fruit of 

 the Chara cannot be considered as a high grade of development. 

 To what other cryptogamic family is it best comparable ? I do 

 not hesitate to state, the Algce. Kiitzing, in his ^ Phycologia 

 Generalis/ has unconditionally referred them to this position, 

 placing them near Lemania. We must here bear in mind the 

 structure of the fruit before all things, and although we are but 

 little acquainted with the fruit of those AlgcB which are nearest 

 related to the Charm in habit, in examining the latter I at the 

 same time met with another of the Algce in which the most re- 

 markable analogies to the fruit of the Charce existed. I allude 

 to Chatophora tuberculosa. In the ' Flora,^ 1842, no. 33, 1 have 

 published a small treatise on it, which unfortunately still remains 

 very imperfect. The main point is, that in it the analogues to the 

 anthers of the Chara may be positively found. They are red glo- 

 bules, formed in a much more simple manner than the anthers 

 of Chara. They also lie close to the fruit, which is also nothing 

 more than metamorphosed buds. Kiitzing, who quotes my paper 

 in the essay above mentioned, p. 325, denies any analogue of 

 the anthers either of Phanerogamia or Cryptogamia, and asserts 

 that the above red globules are nothing more than the more 

 highly developed fruit ! Having lately carefully moistened and 

 again examined my dried specimens, by which they were not found 

 altered in the least, / must most decidedly protest against this 

 statement ! When I look at the two cells of the anthers and fruit 

 of Chara represented in fig. 27, I find, as it appears to me, the 

 lowermost red, the contents of the upper being green, — a similar 

 formation to the two organs in Chcetophora. Unfortunately not 

 having enough specimens, I cannot make any more remarks upon 

 them than what I have already stated in my history of the de- 

 velopment of Chcetophora. I therefore strongly recommend those 

 fortunate persons, who should again meet with them, to examine 

 them most accurately and to compare them with the organs of 

 fructification of Chara. As far as I know, no one has noticed 

 the above red globules. However, as long as this remains so, we 

 must regard the Chara as a familia incerta sedis, but must place 

 them near the Alga. 



Ann, §• Mag, N, Hist, Vol, xvii. 2 E 



