Freshwater Fossils from Central South Africa, 245 
Whorls of about eight branchlets. Branchlets from about 
*25—"4 mm. in diameter, fully corticato-cortex diplostichous. 
Points of meeting of upward series well shown. No branchlet 
nodes apparent. 
Stipulodes doubtful whether haplostephanous or diplo- 
stephanous, only one series seen, bistipulate. Two well- 
developed, cylindrical, acuminate stipulodes clearly shown, 
directed upwards, which are on the stem node, 
Fruit about ‘75 mm. in length and about 45 mm. in 
diameter (PJ. VILI. fig. 5). Spiral cells showing about thir- 
teen convolutions. Apparently a full-grown fruit, somewhat 
erushed in the upper part. A microscopical preparation of 
this rock exhibits a good median section of an oogonium with 
the oospore outlined therein. Dimensions of the oogonium 
about 1°125 mm. long and ‘7 mm. broad. Convolutions 
apparently from twelve to thirteen, but these can only be 
estimated, as the cells are obscure at both ends. Dimensions 
of oospore (probably shrunken) about ‘70 mm. long and 
°35 mm. broad. In size of oogonium and number of convo- 
lutions this corresponds approximately to Chara hispida among 
living species. There are several good transverse sections of 
stems about ‘4 mm. thick, the cortex evidently diplostichous, 
the number of cells being about fourteen, and the alternation 
of primary-and secondary series being in some cases indi- 
cated by a considerable difference in the diameter (Pl. VIII. 
figs. 8, 9). 
STRATIGRAPHY. 
These obscure fossiliferous remains are of so restricted a 
character that they present little evidence as to their geolo- 
gical age. Although representing the first fossils from the 
Matabeleland deposit, as stated by Mr. Maufe, it is of interest 
to note that Dr. A. W. Rogers * has referred to a similar 
occurrence in the ‘‘ Surface quartzites ” of Cape Colony (near 
Komgha Village, N. of East London), which have yielded 
silicified seeds of Chara associated with silicified shells of 
Limnea, and regarded as of Tertiary age. Again, minute 
Chara fruits occur in a hard cream-coloured limestone which 
Mr. Beadnell discovered some years since in the Northern 
Fayfim of Egypt, a small fragment of which is in the Geolo- 
gical Department of the British Museum. It was collected 
when Mr. Beadnell was on the staff of the Geological Survey 
of Egypt, being included in his manuscript list of fossils from 
* ‘An Introduction to the Geology of Cape Colony,’ 1905, p. 360; 
and second edition, 1909, p. 381. 
