2 CHARACE -AMERICANE. 
““Tenuiter incrustata, luteo-virens. Caulis aculeolis sparsis elongatis acuminatis 
oblique patentibus obsitus. Folia vert. g-10. Corona stipularis sursum et deorsum 
evoluta, cellulis elongatis seriei superioris articulum foliorum infimum vix ad medium 
usque tegentibus. Articuli foliorum 8-g, infimo ecorticato hyalino sequentibus 
breviore diametro triplo- ad quadruplo-longiore, mediis 4-5 (rarius paucioribus) 
corticatis, superioribus 3-5 ecorticatis, ultimo brevissimo excepto, elongatis. Foliola 
omnium geniculorum evoluta, verticillata posteriora dimidio vel-ultra breviora, anteriora 
sporangium paullo superantia. Sporangium oblongum, coronula brevi quinquedentata, 
nucleo (indumento  calcareo’ dissoluto) atro 11-12—-striato” A. Lraun, Ch. 
Africane. 
Var, ©LEGANS, A.Br., in litt. Stems large with long spines, regularly disposed. 
Verticills numerous, approximate above. Leaves g-12 in a verticill, with 7-9 
articulations ; basal internode naked, about twice as long as broad; upper internodes 
triple-corticated, except the terminal internode (rarely two or even three of the upper 
internodes naked). Stipules long and narrow, reaching nearly to the second articulation, 
the reflexed stipules nearly as long as the erect. Bracts developed at each articulation, 
verticillate, the dorsal scarcely shorter than the ventral, usually much longer than the 
sporangium and exceeding the length of the internode. Sporangium oblong, .60-.75 
m.m. long, .4o-.50 m.m. broad. Coronula large, spreading. Nucleus oval, black, 
about r2-striate on one side (impress of the enveloping tubes of the sporangium). 
This beautiful species is not uncommon, new localities frequently coming to 
our notice: Peekskill, N. Y.; Lakeville, Conn.; Essex_Co., Mass. (Oakes, Mr. John 
Robinson), etc. 
A number of varieties of Ch. gymnopus occur in different parts of the country 
which might be confounded with var. edegans. The following may be mentioned 
in this place; tater they will be described in detail and figured. 
Var. Humboldtii, A.Br. (Plante. Lindheimeriane, Gray and Engelmann, p. 56), 
C. compressa, Wunth.; C. foliolosa, Willd. (Mihlenb., cat. pl. Amer., sept.: figured 
in Kiitzing, tab. phye. VII, t. 77 (vot a good figure, A.Br.), reported from Venezuela, 
Mexico, Texas (Wright and Lindheimer), and from, Pennsylvania (Miihlenburg). <A 
large species with shorter stipules and short bracts. 
Var. Michauxti, A.Br. ¢.c. reported from Caraccas, 1855, Ohio (Michaux, 1797), 
Missouri (Engelmann); Texas (Lindheimer), Mexican boundary (Wright). The largest 
of all the forms with still shorter stipules and very small bracts. 
Var. conjugens, A.Br. Characeze of Central America 1858, Mexico, Texas 
(Lindheimer, Wright). 
Var. trichacantha, A.Br. Mss., Texas (Wright); S. Carolina (Ravenel). 
To these must be added a new and small variety from Prof. Bessey of Iowa, 
also, we think: 
Ch. sejuncta, A.Br., Plantae Lind., which is only a Gymnopus with the antheridia 
and sporangia developed on different articulations of the same leaf reported from 
Brazil (Martins), Missouri (Engelmann), Massachusetts (Robinson in  Halsted’s 
Monograph, 1878). ‘The whole plant is, to be sure, smaller, but the separation of the 
fructifying organs can scarcely be a persistent feature. ‘This form is a transition to 
the distinctly dicecious gymnopod, Ch. Martiana of South America. 
The length of the naked, basal internode varies not only in different varietie 
but at different ages of the same variety; in var. Humboldt it is very short; in 
a new variety from Iowa ts is so short that it is entirely hidden in the verticill ; in 
