68 NOTES ON THE BRITISH CHAKACE.E FOR 1887-9. 



the name of N. batrachosperma : — Forma typica, 4-6 cm. high, the 

 plant from near Berlin with very dense whorls, the upper being 

 closely aggregated; /. maxima, a plant from Mannheim, 15 cm. 

 high, which is described as resembling a large lax form of X. 

 tenuissima ; f. fallax, 8 cm. higb, a lax plant almost resembling 

 N. gracilis ;■■■• f. minor, from Baden, which is much like our form 

 and that from Sweden. The species is placed by Braun among the 

 " GUeocarpa," but in our form the presence of any gelatinous 

 covering to the fruit is sometimes very doubtful. Dr. Nordstedt, 

 when identifying our plant with the Scandinavian N. batrachosperma, 

 suggests a doubt as to the correctness of regarding the species as 

 one of the " Glwocarpa." 



The name N. batrachosperma is generally adopted for this species, 

 but it is quite untenable. Nitetta batrachosperma was described by 

 Agardh in 1824 (Syst. Alg. p. 126) when he founded the genus, 

 quoting the synonym " C. batrachosperma, Dec, Thuill." Thuillier's 

 plant has since been identified by Braun as a form of his Char a 

 fcetida ((.'. vulgaris), and, whatever plant Agardh had in view, there 

 is no doubt that it was not the present species. The name 

 Chara batrachosperma was first used by Weiss for Batrachospermum 

 monilijorme. Braun's action in starting a new N. batrachosperma 

 upon the foundation of Beichenbach's confused ideas, instead of 

 giving an entirely new name, is incomprehensible, considering the 

 slight grounds upon which he re-christened so many species. In 

 the absence of any valid name for the species, we are reluctantly 

 compelled, in accordance with the " Laws," to give it a name, and 

 we think we cannot do better than dedicate it to the greatest living 

 authority on the genus. 



We are indebted to our friend Mr. J. Guardia for photo- 

 micrographs of the surfaces of the two oospores which are copied on 

 our plate. The importance of the markings on the surface of the 

 oospore as a specific character has been well shown by Dr. Nordstedt 

 in his recent valuable paper on the subject. 



N. gracilis, Ag. — Kerry S., Caragh Lake, 1889, R. W. 

 Scully. It is very gratifying to have this record, as we understand 

 that some uncertainty attaches to the locality from which we had 

 previously recorded this as an Irish plant. 



N. mucronata, Kuetz. — Hants N., Fleet Pond, 1873, J. L. 

 Warren, herb. Boswell. This station is in the intermediate drainage 

 system (the Thames) between the original station in the Channel 

 drainage and the more recently discovered locality in the Ouse at 

 Bedford. 



N. translucens, Ag. — Middlesex, Buislip, J. Benbow ; Berks., 

 Burghfield, 1887, G. C. Brace; Hebrides, Harris, 1889, Mrs. Bun- 

 can, comm. A. Bennett ; Kerry N., L. Nogeeha, 1889, R. W. Scully; 

 Down, Derry L., 1887, R. L. Fraeger, comm. S. A. Stewart. 



N. flexilis, Ag.— Perth W., L. of Monteith, 1884, B. Kidston; 



* We have not seen specimens of these larger forms.— H. & J. G. 



