336 



OBSERVATIONS ON SOME BRITISH PLANTS, 

 PARTICULARLY WITH REFERENCE TO THE 

 ENGLISH FLORA OF SIR JAMES E. SMITH.— 

 By W. Wilson, Esq. / 



1. Salicornia herbacea. — Near Holyhead, Aug. 22, 1828. — 

 The central Jlower (of each cluster of three) is diandrous, 

 one anther below, and the other above the laterally compressed 

 germen : lateral flowers with only one stamen, above the pis- 

 til. Calyx with three rounded entire shallow segments ; one 

 anther partly protruded. Rudiment of the seed compressed, 

 rounded, rough-edged, the funiculus attached to the base of 

 the germen. The joints beneath the flowers have the ap- 

 pearance of connate leaves. It appears that all the British 

 species of this genus are diandrous. 



2. Chara. (Example C. gracilis; Llyn Idwel, May 30, 

 1828.) — Anther with 8 sides, splitting into as many portions, 

 and from the centre of each, internally, proceeds a fljotstalk, 

 supporting at its extremity a number of fibres, [pollen?) 

 which are transversely marked with dark lines. Germen 

 with 5 spiral strice, meeting at the summit and forming the 

 stigma? which, in this species, is very minute, and not 

 toothed. Seeds? pellucid, contained within an internal, 

 roundish membrane. 



Chara gracilis has the whorled branches forked, or trifid, 

 especially in the female. Pistils ? two together at the forks, 

 sessile. Anthers on a separate plant, mostly solitary, in 

 similar situations ; two colourless lines are seen on opposite 

 sides of the stem and branches. This plant is dioecious 

 in the above situation, (observed during three years;) the 

 fertile plant twice as tall; the yellow hue of the barren plant 

 (arising from the large anthers) readily distinguishes it from 

 the other, when seen growing at the bottom of the lake: 

 they grow in company, and are much intermixed. 



3. Chara aspera. — Near Holyhead, July, 1828. — The 

 stem is not striated or furrowed, as in C. hispida, nor are the 

 whorled branches very evidently jointed. Anthers, as above 



