432 102. CHARACE^. 



opinions are various concerning its structure. It is placed here 

 simply from convenience. 



1. Chara. The only genus. 



1. Chara Linn. 



I. NiTELLA Ag. — Crown of nucule of 10 cells forming 2 cir- 

 cles lying upon each other, never spreading, generally falling off 

 before the seed is ripe. Stems more or less pellucid, composed 

 of one tube. 



i. Nitella. Globules terminal at the forks of the branchlets. 



* Branchlets only once divided into \-jointed segments, 

 6 — 8 in a whorl, similar. 



1. C. flexilis (L.) ; monoecious, st. slender equal flexible trans- 

 parent, branchlets pointed not mucronate nearly equally forked 

 or trifid, nucules and globules together in the forks of the 

 branchlets without bracts.— E. B. 1070. Atl. Fl. Par. 40 C— 

 Rather slender, green, pellucid. Primary branches seldom more 

 than once divided. Sometimes the axillary branchlets are much 

 more divided and clustered (C nidifica of collectors). Nucules 

 with 6 striae. — Ditches. P. V. 



2. C. syncarpa (Thuil.) ; dioecious, st. slender equal flexible 

 transparent, branchlets bluntish apiculate nearly equally forked 

 or trifid, nucules or globules at the forks of the branchlets with- 

 out bracts. — Atl. Fl. Par. 39 (not good). — Slender, diaphanous, 

 resembling C. flexilis. Nucules with 6 striae and scarcely any 

 crown. — Stagnant water. Sussex; Cambridgeshire; Caernarvon- 

 shire. Galway. A. V. E. I. 



** Branchlets usually repeatedly divided, terminal segments of 

 2 joints, last joint usually like a mucro. Branchlets 6 — 8 

 in a whorl, similar. 



3. C. translucens (Pers.); monoecious, st. thick equal flexible 

 transparent, sterile branchlets simple not jointed, upper ones 

 ending in 2 or 3 short points, fertile whorls of sniall trifurcate 

 branchlets very small and closely placed, nucules small oblong 

 usually in threes just below the 3 bracts surrounding the terminal 

 globule.— E. B. 1855. Atl. Fl. Par. 40 B.— Strong. Fertile 

 whorls appearing capitate. Globules solitary. Nucules with 7 

 striae. — Deep stagnant pools. A. VII. 



4. C. mucronata (A. Br.); monoecious, st. slender equal flexible 

 transparent, branchlets strongly mucronate nearly equally forked 

 or trifid, nucules and globules together at the forks of the 



