418 
susceptible of a variety of modifications, without having occasion for the as- 
sistance of organs of various forms or structure. The observations made upon 
Chara circulation by the foregoing authors have been much extended by the 
careful enquiries of Messrs. Solly, Slack, and Varley, whose remarks are to be 
found in the Transactions of the Society of Arts, vol. 49. p. 177. and vol. 50. 
p. 171. 
Geography. The creation of plants of this order would appear to have 
been of a very recent date, compared with that of Ferns and Palms, or even 
Algse, if we are to judge by their fossil remains, which are found -for the first 
time in the louver fresh- w^ater formation, along with numerous Dicotyledonous 
plants resembling those of our own times. In the recent Flora of the world 
they make their appearance every where in stagnant waters, in Europe, Asia, 
and Africa, in North and South America, in New Holland, and in either India. 
They are most common in temperate countries. 
Properties. Unknown. 
GENERA. 
Chara, L. 
Nitella, Ag. 
Alliance V. FUNGALES, 
AcoTYLEDONEiE, Agardh Aph. 12. (1821). — Homonemea, Fries. Syst. Orb. Veg. 33. (1825). 
— Acotyledones, Class I. Ad. Brong. in Diet. Class. (1824). — Cryftogamic^, 
3d Circle, T. F. L. Nees v. EsenbeckundEbermaier Handb. der Med. Bot. 1. 18. (1830). 
— Aphylla:, or Leafless Flowerless Plants, Ed. Pr. 
Essential Character. — Flowerless leafless plants, destitute of vascular tissue, with 
no distinct axis of growth. Spoiniles simple and lying naked in the substance of the plant. 
Germinating processes either wholly distinct or confluent in a homogeneous body. 
In this place w'e have arrived at the limits which separate the vegetable 
from the animal kingdom. We have not only passed beyond the dominion of 
the sexes, but we have no longer any trace, however ambiguous, of more than 
one form of reproductive matter. It is even uncertain whether this matter 
wfill reproduce its like, and whether it is not a mere representation of the vital 
principle of vegetation, capable of being called into action either as a Fungus, 
an Alga, or a Lichen, according to the particular conditioiis of heat, light, 
moisture, and medium, in which it is placed ; producing Fungi upon dead or 
putrid organic beings ; Lichens upon living vegetables, earth, or stones : and 
Algse where water is the medium in which it is developed. Kutzing, 
(Ann. des Sc. n. s. vol. 2. p. 225.), endeavours to maintain the following pro- 
positions connected with the subject : 1st, the formation of organic matter can 
only take place by means of the previously dissolved elements of other organic 
principles ; 2d, simple globules, such as Cryptococcus, Palmella, and Proto- 
coccus, can give birth to different formations according to the influence of 
light, air, and temperature ; 3d, w^e must regard all the forms of lower Algae 
as vegetations of a very simple structure, and distinguish them from each 
other, notwithstanding that in certain circumstances they may raise themselves 
to vegetations of a higher fonn ; for in other circumstances they can exist and 
multiply independently ; 4th, the same superior formation may be produced 
by primitive formations of altogether different kinds. 
The nearest approach to animals is in the tribes of Algae called Arthrodieae 
