96 CHARACE^. 



Nitella, collected in the vicinity of Ely, seem to be inter- 

 mediate between it and N. translucens. The susrsrestion thrown 

 out by Sir W. J. Hooker that our native Nitellce may be all 

 varieties of a single species, as our Chares, are perhaps of a 

 second, is far from improbable." — E. B. 2d edit. 



4. NiTELLA GRACILIS Ag. 



Char. Stems smooth, glossy, jyeUucid ; branches of the ichorls 

 compound, their segments acute ; the upper ones often all 

 fertile. Bracteas icanting. 



Chara gracilis, Eng. Bot. t. 2140. 2d edit. 1470.; Smith, i. 

 9. ; Hook. Crypt. Part 1. p. 245. ; Macreight, 278. Ni- 

 tella gracilis Ag. Syst. p. 125. 



'^ Found in boggy pools in St. Leonard's Forest, Sussex : 

 in Llyn Idmel, North Wales ; and in Jersey. Pale green, 

 shining, very transparent. Fructification axillary in the di- 

 visions of the branches of the upper whorls ; generally one 

 nucule and one globule, side by side, sometimes separate, and, 

 according to Mr. Wilson, on different plants. 



" A small, very delicate, and elegant species, but only 

 doubtfully distinct from N. f.exilis^'' — E. B. 2d edit. 



6. CHARA. 



Char. Plant more or less opaque, very brittle ; striated, often 

 spirally. Primary cells, excepting the ultimate ones of the 

 branches which are uncovered, invested by a layer of 

 secondary smaller cells, ichich take a spiral course. Glo- 

 bules and nucules regularly dispersed along the whorled 

 branches. 



1. Chara vulgaris. 



Char. Stem smooth, opaque, brittle, obscurely striated. Pri- 

 mary cells of the stems invested ivith about eighteen smaller 

 spiral cells ; those of the branches or whorls icith about half 

 that number. Nucule bracteated. Bracts usually four, 

 much longer than the nucule. 



