84 



BRITISH CHAEOPHYTA. 



Cambridgeshire specimen. This species had already 

 been included in the eighth edition of Babington's 

 'Manual' (1881), but the plant referred to therein 

 proved to be a form of C. delicatula. In 1883 Ghara 

 Braunii was discovered by Mr. Charles Bailey, growing 

 at large, though apparently not native, in a canal near 

 Eeddish, and this was described and figured in 1884. 



In J 884-5 two parts of Vol. XII of the third 

 edition of 'English Botany' were published, contain- 

 ing an account of the British species, written by 

 Boswell, but edited with a number of additions by 

 Mr. N. E. Brown. Though this contained much use- 

 ful and interesting information, the account cannot 

 be considered a satisfactory one. Several species 

 regarded as certainly distinct by such eminent 

 authorities on the Charophyta as Braun and 

 Nordstedt were reduced to varieties. In two cases 

 the plants so combined belong, in the opinion of 

 those who have studied the group, to different sections. 

 The old imperfect original plates were reproduced 

 with the addition of dissections, which are not always 

 accurate, while a number of new plates were added. 

 Some of the latter, notably those of Tolypellse, drawn 

 by Mr. Brown, are excellent. 



In 1885, by the discovery of N. capillaris (JV. 

 capitata Ag.) by the late Alfred Fryer in Cambridge- 

 shire, that species was established as British, previous 

 records being uncertain. A description and plate of 

 this were given in 1886 in a further instalment of the 

 " Notes," as also of a curious Ghara collected in 

 Norfolk by H. & J. G. and referred to G. papillosa 

 (G. intermedia Braun). Subsequent investigations of 

 the latter, however, led to the conclusion that the plant 

 was a hybrid. In 1888, N. batrachosperma was found 

 in the Hebrides by Mr. "W". S. Duncan, and described 

 and figured in the "Notes" in 1890 under the name 

 of N. Nordstedtiana H. & J. Gr. This species had 

 already been discovered in two localities in Ireland by 

 Mr. R. W. Scully, but was thought at the time to be 



