Prate VI. 
NEGSEEA TENUISSIMA: DeEsv: 
Chara flexilis tenuissima Bauer, C. glomerata Gmel. 
Zunitella, Diarthrodactyla, Homeophylla, Monwca, Gymnocarpa. (See under 
NV. fiexilis.) Stems very slender, a few inches long (2--6 inches), sparingly branched, wall 
thin. Vert7cz//s remote, dense ; consisting of 6 leaves (rarely 7). Zeaves three to four 
times divided, the first segment longest, averaging 2 mm. in length, the other segments sub- 
equal, averaging 1.25 mm. in length ; the first mode of the leaf is always sterile, consisting 
of 6 rays, and a prolongation of the axis; the second node is usually fertile, bearing an 
antheridium within the verticill on the apex of the ray and one sporangium in place of one 
of the rays ; this node is sometimes, though rarely, sterile (fig. 6 B), in which case the 
central axis is continued (in place of an antheridium, and there are normally 6 rays (instead 
of five and a sporangium); ¢he third node is usually sterile (sometimes fertile) ; 
when sterile consisting of three rays, when fertile of two rays and a sporangium with an 
apical antheridium ; these rays or leaflets of the third node are sometimes terminal, that is, 
they do not again divide (asin V. Batrachosperma, in which this node terminates usually in six 
leaflets). There are one terminal leaflet and two node-bearing leaflets (fig. 7 B ); when 
this is the case the terminal leaflet is nearly as long as the node-bearing leaflets ; the fourth 
node is always sterile consisting of 3--4 terminal leaflets ; the terminal leaflets are somewhat rigid 
like the divisions of the leaves and of about the same length as the segments of the leaf 
above the first node; they are terminated by an apical, pointed cell about 0.125 mm, in 
length. 
Sporangium single, usually borne on the second node of the leaf (those examined 
by us were 0.20 too.25 mm.in length, including coronula and stipe cell), broadly oval, 
surmounted by a minute and persistent coronula of ten cells; zzclews nearly round, 
chestnut colored, striae 7-8 not prominent. 
Variations. he plant varies with longer and shorter leaves, forme longifolia and 
brevifolza ; to the former our figure belongs. Some of the short leaved forms are very 
much contracted, a close dense mass surrounding the stem with elongated stems and distant 
verticills. 
In the verticill of the stem are sometimes found long terminal leaflets, not bearing 
nodes, generally a single leaflet in a verticill arising between two leaves, reaching to the 
second node of the leaf and terminating in a mucronate cell: these adventitious leaflets are 
quite rarely found. The first, sterile, node of the leaf rarely has 7 rays in addition 
to the central axial ray 
The second, fertile, node has but one antheridium and one sporangium ; in addition to 
the sporangium there are five rays, rarely four (we have never seen more than five) ; this 
node may be wholly sterile (as at fig. 6 B), when the central ray is a trifle longer than the 
6 verticillate rays, and all seven divide alike. 
