N1TELLA. 



281 



verticillaris, ramulis ultimis 2, 3 dentiformibus ; fiorib. mas- 

 culis terminalibus solitariis, ad apicem ramorum axeosve; 

 faemineis vel terminalibus solitariis vel 3-5 congestis inter 

 verticillos. 



Planta in horto Seramporensi, spithamaea tenera, raro cal- 

 careo incrustat (crusta, ad apices ramulorum vel medium ver- 

 sus, definita) ! 



Linea alba, ramorum etc. secta. Ramorum superiorum, ver- 

 ticillis dense congestis, summis juvenissimis corpus oblongum 

 echinatulum simulantibus. 



Fl. foem : congesti inter verticillos, uno centrale terminato ? 

 raro solitarii, membrana exteriora solubilia citissime., apice in 

 stigmatibus ? 5 acutis productis. central, e sporis 5, etiam solu- 

 bilib. Nucleus centralis. Materia amylacea corpusculis inae- 

 qualibus farctis ! Fl. masc. ? albi., nucleo rubro ; saspius soli- 

 tariis in apicibus ramulorum penultimorum, rarius immixi, fae- 

 mineis extrorsis. 



The solution of the inner spiral coat is remarkable, for 

 there is nothing then to hold together the granules, which 

 are, as usual very large, very unequal, and subangular. 



The stucture of the male I do not understand ; the triangu- 

 lar separation is manifest, but the divisions between its compo- 

 nent parts do not attain to the centre or meet, and as the cen- 

 tre is red-granular, and this is produced into each peripheri- 

 cal division, it is obvious, that the cell must be considered as 

 simple, with divisions radiating from the circumference to- 

 wards the centre. How has it the red nucleary appearance ? 

 the red cells must obviously be confined to it. 



This is distinct from all known to me in the aggregation of 

 the female flowers, their often being terminal, and in the 

 male flowers being developed most towards the summit of the 

 axis, and in their being terminal. 



It is a Nitella with the female of Chara, as Endiicher says 

 Nitellae have no stigmata. The outer membrane is very soluble, 

 and in all the specimens yesterday put into water, the spires 

 were to day unrolled, leaving a nucleus of a hyaline sac, gorged 

 with granules. 



o 2 



