192 



The Scottish Naturaiist. 



Hebrides. I at once asked him to send me the specimens, and 

 on receiving them all doubts as to its being batrachosperma were 

 removed ; and I am glad to say that Mr. J. Groves wrote me at 

 once (on sending him half the material), a the fresh specimens of 

 N. batrachosperma, which settles it down satisfactorily as a British 

 plant." 



It is by no means a common species, not being satisfactorily 

 known out of Europe, though it has a close ally in N. America. 

 It comes nearest to JV. tenuissima of our British species, but is 

 of a stricter habit ; and differs by the fruit being enveloped 

 ( Glceocarpw ) in mucus, while that of tenuissima is not ( Gymno- 

 carpw ), as well as in other minuter characters. 



Here is another inducement to our botanists to search every 

 piece of water accessible to them on the chance of finding some- 

 thing new, or in any case of extending the knowledge of the local 

 flora of their districts. 



A few botanical particulars of the species I give below — 

 Nitella batrachosperma Al. Braun, in Schweiz. Channel, p. 10. 



1849 (name). 



In Characece Europaea; exsic, No. 78 (1870) and Kryptog. Flor. Schl., p. 

 400 (1876). 



Nordstedt in Al. Braun's Fragment a Monogr. Charac, pp. 66 and 67 

 (1882). 



Nitella tenuissima v. batracliosperma Rabh. Fl. Saxonica, p. 100 (1842). 

 N. tenuissima v. batrachosperma et ramulosa Ganterer, (Ester. Char., 

 p. 10 (1847). 



N. batrachosperma Reichb. Wallm. Char., p. 256 (1853). 



N. batrachosperma Reich. Sydow. Europ. Char., p. 30 (1S82). 



Chara flexilis, stellala Wallr. ann. t, 6, f. I ( 1815). 



Chara glomerata Moesl. Hand., 3., p. 1663 (1834). 

 Figures Kiitzing's Tab. Phyc, 7, t. 35, f. 1 (1857). 



Reichb. /cones, 8, t. 791, f. 1070. 



Nordstedt. Monogr., t. 5, f. 131-132 (1882). 

 Exsic. Areschoug, Algce., No. 150. 



Fries Herb. Norm., 14, No. 100. 



A, Braun, Char. Europ., No. 78. 



Nordstedt & Wahlstedt, Char. Scand., No. 42. 

 Distribution Finland, Sweden, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Prussia, France, 

 Italy. 



Outer Hebrides, Loch near Obbe, Isle of Harris. July, 1888 

 and 1889, Mr. W. S. Duncan; comm. Mr. F. C. King. 



