198 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



In a canal near Reddish, South Lancashire ; discovered by Mr. 

 Charles Bailey in September, 1883. 



England. Annual ? Summer, Autumn. 



Stems branched, slender or moderately stout, very variable in size, 

 being from 2 to 18 inches in length, with branchlets from ^ of an inch 

 to an inch or more long, the internodes of the stem being shorter or 

 longer than the branchlets ; the length of the bracts and size of the 

 nucules also vary considerably. The Lancashire plant is rather more 

 slender than usual, and the nodes of the branchlets are not constricted 

 as in the Continental forms. 



C. Braunii is one of the most distinct species of British Charas, 

 being readily known by its uncorticated stems and branchlets, and 

 the minute cells at the tips of the branchlets, which consist of the 

 very reduced apical cell and the bracts of the ultimate node, and are 

 very similar to those that terminate the branchlets of Nitella trans- 

 lucens. The claim of this species to be considered a native plant is 

 perhaps somewhat doubtful, since Messrs. Groves state (Journ. Bot. 

 1884, p. 4) that the water of the canal in which it grows " is raised 

 to an abnormal temperature by the hot water from the adjacent mills. 

 Naias alagnensis* a native of Egypt, has been found in the same 

 neighbourhood, and as its introduction is ascribed to the use of 

 Egyptian cotton in the mills, there seems a possibility of C. Braunii, 

 also an inhabitant of Egypt, having been introduced by the same 

 means, although the distribution of the latter is such as to make its 

 occurrence in this country probable." 



This species is found nearly all over the world, therefore it is not 

 unlikely to prove a native of the British Isles, and should be looked 

 for in ponds, streams, lakes, &c. — N. E. B. 



B. Stem with as many rows of cortical cells as there are branchlets 

 to a whorl, stipule-cells in two whorls, all well developed, setaceous^] 



SPECIES IV.— CHAR A CRINITA. Wallr. 



Plate 1912. 



Braun, Babenh. & Stiz. Char. Europ. Exsicc. Nos. 6, G5, 66, 67, 68, 80, 118. 



Nordst. & Wahlst. Char. Scand. Exsicc. Nos. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 29b. 



Chara crinita, Wallr. Annus Bot. p. 190, t. iii. Bruzel. Obs. Char. pp. 10 and 19. 



Agarclh, Syst. Alg. p. 126. Bischoff, Handb. Bot. Term, raid Syst. t. 57, f. 2821. 



A. Braun in Ann. Sciences Nat. 2nd ser. Vol. I. p. 356 ; in Flora, 1835, Vol. I. p. 



70; Consp. Char. Europ. p. 5 ; in Cohn, Krypt. Fl. Schles. Vol. I. p. 404; in 



[* A very full account with good figures of this plant, will be found in the Journal 

 of Botany 1884, p. 305, whore it is described as Naias graminea, Delile, var. Delilei, 



Magnus.] 



