bearing on its centre a coloured column, whose summit is
crowned with a tuft of annular or spirally striated, white,
elastic, vermicular fibres, much interwoven with the adjoining
tufts. From the centre of the whole globular mass of
fibres extends another coloured column, through the pellucid
coating of the globule to its point of insertion on the
ramulus; and the triangular plates composing the globule
are formed of tubes radiating from a common vascular
centre: these are lined, on one side only, with the colouring
matter which is easily displaced by pressure. A section
of the stem exhibits a central tube filled with a slimy fluid
mixed with granules, and au outer coating of smaller tubes
(the striae of the stem),12—20 in number, divided at intervals
by oblique partitions; and between the outer circle and the
central tube is found a green parenchyma, arranged in lines
alternating with the striae, and separated, or broken trans.
versely, at intervals, thereby giving a spotted appearance
to the stem and ramuli.
Nucules* are not visible on Welsh specimens. We
have little hesitation in connecting the plant here figured
with that of Dr. Greville, and on careful examination of
specimens of C. aspera from Prestwick Car, we observe no
essential difference. C. crinita of Wallroth (to which some
botanists are disposed to refer our Welsh plant) is said to
be essentially characterized by having the bristles of the
stem very much crowded and disposed in little bundles/ its
nucules also are described as evidently spiral and very long
and narrow : this species has probably never yet been found
in the British dominions.—W. W.
a The nucules of Chara hispida consist of an outer pellucid and membranous
coat of 5 spiral striae, terminated at the apex by a fleshy crown ;
beneath this is an opaque, white, brittle coating, with prominent spiral ridges,
within which is a brown indéhiscent membrane with similar spiral ridges,
originating from a circular base and meeting at the apex in a point; the
contents form a mass of white roundish granules which expand and float
in water: they are apparently mucilaginous and of uniform consistence,
and not so much like sporules as alimentary matter destined to effectuate
the vegetation of the entire nucule, the crown of which may be regarded as
an incipient whorl ; the nucules remain attached to the plant long after the
disappearance of the globules.—W . W .