1894. ]  -Briefer Articles. 247 
nia but without certain knowledge as to locality.” This hesitant 
inclusion is apparently the basis of the doubtful attributing of Sphae- 
toplea to America by Wille* in his monograph upon the family, but 
the true state of the matter is shown clearly enough by Magnus‘ in 
a brief note upon the distribution of the plant, published in Za WVo- 
farisia. There need be no further question, however, about the pres- 
ence of this plant in the United States, since it was collected in quan- 
tity by Mr. D. T. MacDougal and myself, in inundated meadows near 
Bass lake, Hennepin county, Minn., April 23, 1894. The filaments 
were intermingled with those of Zygnema and Spirogyra and were 
found to include all stages of development. The formation of sperms, 
€ggs and syngametes was noted and apparently at least two of the 
Varieties recognized by De Toni® were present inthe material studied. 
A further contribution may be looked for from the Minnesota labor- 
atories upon this plant.—Conway MacMILLAN. 
*Wille, N., Sphaeropleacez in Engler and Prantl. Nat. Pflanzenfam. Theil 
I Abth. 2, June, 1890. 
* Magnus, Paul, Nuova contribuzione alla conoscenza dell’ area geografica 
~~ Sphaer oplea annulina Roth. La Notarisia 6: 1215. 30 Ap 1891. 
De Toni, Sylloge Algarum. 1: 95. 25 Jy 1889. 
19—Vol. XIX—No. 6. Y 
