Chara vulgaris

ESSEX BOTANY AND MYCOLOGY GROUPS

The Essex Records 1820 -2007.

Following the introductory paragraph to each taxon, the records are set out in columns. The first being the letter and alternative number (in brackets) code for the 100 x 100km square, followed by the 10 x 10km square number, arranged in conventional order from south to north, moving from west to east; the second column gives the 1 x 1km square or the 100 x 100m square Ordnance Survey grid reference if known; the third the vice county, and the final column the available details of the individual record. Approximate grid references for older records are suffixed by a?

Chara vulgaris L. sensu lato

Several forms of this taxon have been given varietal names, such as vulgaris, longbracteata, papillata, crassicaulis and refracta. Having grown these in culture however, it is pretty obvious that they are not distinct genetic varieties but are simply ecomorphs, as they change from one form to another as they grow. Quite what causes the switch between the forms is unclear. It does not seem to be correlated with daylength, but I suspect that the development of extended bracteoles and long spine cells is a response to predation, as water mites and juvenile Limnaea snails are particularly partial to the antheridia. Thus it is possible for a single plant to express both the papillata and the longibracteata morphology simultaneously.

I propose eventually therefore to reorganize this dataset under one heading with notes covering the type of expression exhibited by particular populations, and abandon the clearly illegitimate varietal names.

Chara vulgaris L. var. vulgaris

This taxonomic category is generally used as a rag-bag for those forms that do not approach the other named varieties. As far as our recent records are concerned, we have included in var. longibracteata any forms with very long bracteoles/adaxial bract cells (irrespective of spine cell length), and in var. papillata those forms with very well developed cylindrical spines cells, but normal length bracteoles. The formerly recognized var. refracta Kutz. (now sunk in var. vulgaris) with short recurved-branchlets, fruiting at virtually all the nodes, and with well developed spine cells, has been seen on several occasions in Essex.

TL(52)30	37 ,02?	19	Fisher's Green, gravel pit ponds, c.1965. Eric Saunders.	Flora of Essex. p.45. 1974.
TQ(51)38	39 ,81?	18	Canning Town, 1891. William Allen	Essex Naturalist. 10. p.190. 1897-8.
TQ(51)48	??????	18	Near Barking, 20 June 1883. Collected by Edward Forster & William R.Linton, Comment by Arthur Bennett approaching gymnophylla'.	Natural History Museum Herbarium (BM). Atlas Specimen No.1233.
TQ(51)49	426,918	18	Woodford Bridge, pond on the Green, August 1977. Coll: & det: K.J.Adams.
	486,919	18	Willoughby Hill, just south of Hainault Forest, small pond in middle of scrubby pasture, mostly var. longibracteata, but grading into this variety, with Ranunculus aquatilis s.s. 12 May 1988 Coll: & det: K.J.Adams.
TL(52)40	447,011	18	Pond south-west of Epping, by main road, 10 June 1932. Herbert K.Airy Shaw & Francis W.Simpson (assumed to be the large pond on Bell Common).	Natural History Museum Herbarium (BM). Atlas Specimen No. 1235.
TL(52)41	490,185	19	Thorley Flood Pound, abundant in temporary pools, typical var. vulgaris,1 Sept. 1985. Coll: John L.Fielding, det: K.J.Adams.
	490,184	19	Thorley Flood Pound, abundant in shallow pond, antheridia and oogonia present, 17 July 1993. Coll: & det: Tim Pyner.
	464,343	19	Clavering, farm reservoir, with Myriophyllum spicatum and Potamogeton trichoides. Intermediate material, var. vulgaris and var. longibracteata expression on the same axes. Also a mixture of spine cell types, some very long, straight, pointed and spreading (exceeding axis diameter) - close to the hispidula expression, but all arising from grooves, others very vestigial-short and recurved into the grooves. Most oopsores light to dark brown (almost black) when mature. 19 August 1999. Shirley & Charles Watson.
TQ(51)57	???????	18	Thurrock, pond in old chalk pit, 1965. Coll: & det: Eric Saunders.	Flora of Essex.p.45.1974.

TQ(51) 57	53,79 } 54,79 } 53 ,80 }	18	Rainham/Wellington/AveleyMarshes, widespread in drainage ditches,18 July 2004. Peter West Det: K.J.Adams.
	552,792	18	Rainham Marshes, ditch just south of railway. 15 April 2011. Mary Smith. Det: K .J .Adams

TQ(51)59	58 ,99	18	Doddinghurst, near Brentwood, old pond near Doddinghurst Farm, Sept. 1894. William Allen. Specimen confirmed by Arthur Bennett.	Essex Naturalist 10. p.190. 1897 - 8.
TL(52)51	54 ,19	19	Hatfield Forest Lake, with C. hispida and C. globularis (as C. fragilis), 10 October 1890. W.Crouch.	Essex Naturalist. 4. p.223. 1890.
	54 ,19	19	Hatfield Forest Lake, 1965. Coll: & det: Eric Saunders with Stan Jermyn.	Flora of Essex. p.45 1974. (although recorded for TL52 in the Flora it is more likely to have been TL51 KJA).
	54,19	19	Hatfield Forest, decoy lake, abundant, in shallows on west side with C. hispida and C. globularis, on chalky boulder clay substrate, heavily encrusted, 20 October 1985. Coll: & det: K.J.Adams.
	522,101	19	High Laver, reservoir at Faggoter’s Farm, August 1998. Coll: Shirley & Charles Watson. Det: K.J.Adams.
	539,196 & 540,196	19	Still abundant, same site with C. hispida and C. vulgaris var. longibracteata, but no sign of C. globularis. 24 Sept. 1989. K.J. Adams.
TL(52)53	???????	19	Widdington, 'ditches & slow streams', July 1840. George S.Gibson.	Specimen in Saffron Walden Museum Herbarium (SWN).
	???????	19	Saffron Walden, 'common around Walden', c.1850. George S.Gibson.	Flora of Essex. p.405. 1862.
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TQ(51)67	???????	18	Near Grays brackish pool near River Thames, 29 October 1927. J.A.Williams. Legit. C.E.Britton. . Det:: James Groves.	Natural History Museum Herbarium Atlas Specimen No.1234 (BM). Rilstone, F 1928. Bot.Soc.& Ex Club of the BI for 1927,8 :593. London Nat. 36 suppl.p.333.(1957)
	608,790	18	Grays Chalk Quary, small pond, plentiful, long and stringy, young globules only. 22 June 2014. K J Adams.
TQ(51) 68	6067,8501	18	North Ockendon, Top Meadow Golf course, abundant margins of small eutrophic pond, with Myriophyllum spicatum, Nymphoides peltata and blanket weed. 11 May 2007. Mary Smith.	Long bracts and bracteoles, but small spine cells (det. KJA).

TQ(51)69	62 ,91?	18	Ingrave, near Brentwood, c.1850. W. Hind.	Flora of Essex. p.406. 1862.
TL(52)60	667,067	19	Writtle Agricultural College, farm reservoir, stunted form in shallows, with short branchlets and small, initially developed, but rapidly deciduous spines. September 1997. Coll: Martin Heyward, det: K J Adams.
TL(52)61	66 ,11?	19	Chignall, near Chelmsford, pond, July 1876. Robert Miller Christy.	Specimen in Passmore Edwards Museum Herbarium (SRD).
	629,182	19	Bishop's Green, large ditch, 18 August 1966, John R. Ironside-Wood. (J.R.I-Ws record cards and	Flora of Essex. p.45. 1974).
	641,155	19	High Easter, ditches, 5 July 1964. John R.Ironside-Wood. W's record cards &	(J.R.I- Flora of Essex. p.45. 1974).
	651,133	19	Mashbury, pond, 8 July 1966, John R.Ironside-Wood.	(J.R.I-W's record cards & Flora of Essex. p.45. 1974).
	665,137	19	Pleshey, reservoir, 20 August 1965, John R.Ironside-Wood.	(J.R.I-Ws record cards & Flora of Essex, p.45. 1974).
TL(52)62	652,257	19	Linsell, abundant in pond at Lashley Hall, 25 July, 1965, John R.Ironside-Wood.	(J.R.I-Ws record cards & Flora of Essex. p.45. 1974).
TQ(51)79	780,997	18	Rettenden, Hyde Hall, shallow clay ditch. 19 March 2012. Coll: John F. Skinner. Det: K.J.Adams.
TL(52)71	705,185	19	Little Leez, Lodge Lake Reservoir, abundant in the shallows, antheridia and oogonia present, with var. longibracteata. 31 July 1991. Coll: & det: Tim Pyner.
	722,183	19	Phyllis Currie N.R. Scattered patches, rather moribund, in the main lake east of the causeway. Sterile and with minute spine cells. 9 June 2004. Kenneth J Adams.
	748,125	19	Boreham, old gravel pit nr. Brent Hall, dense decaying mass in deeper water, antheridia and oogonia present, growing with Nitella flexilis and Potamogeton berchtoldii. 14 July 1990. Tim Pyner.
TL(52)73	79 ,31	19	Pond in Shardlowe's Wood, c.1965. Coll: Stanley T.Jermyn, det: Eric Saunders	Flora of Essex. p.45. 1974.
	793,318	19	Foxborough Farm, landfill, choking circa 20yr old pond, vulgaris expression. 13 May 2005. Coll: Andrian Knowles det. K.J.Adams.
TL(52)74	???????	19	Belchamp Brook, c.1965. Coll: by Stanley T. Jermyn, det: Eric Saunders.	Flora of Essex. p.45. 1974
TQ(51)88	877,871	18	Prittlewell, Priory Park, fishing pond, August. 1991. Tim Pyner.
TL(52)81	???????	19	Kelvedon, c. 1850. Dr Ezekiel G.Varenne.	Flora of Essex. p.406. 1862.
TQ(51)98	922,856		Thorpe Bay, just north of the railway line, in sandy-silty bottomed pond with Ranunculus aquatilis, 25 June 1981. Coll: John.F.Skinner, det: K.J.Adams.
	922,856	18	ditto but less plentiful. 31 August 1986. Coll: & det: Tim Pyner.
	932,842		Shoeburyness, Gunners Park; in wide ditch with Bolboschoenus maritimus, Typha latifolia, Phragmites australis, Apium graveolens, Lemna spp., Ranunculus sceleratus and R. baudotii. 18/4/2009 R.G Payne and 24 April. 2009. T.Pyner. [approaching papillata]
	91184, 85625	18	Thorpe Hall Golf Course, Southend. In pond. 28 July 2010. Colin Austin.
TL(52)91	959,121 to 967,121	19	Old Hall Marshes, brackish dyke, abundant, 20 July 2009. coll: Peter& Pam Wilson. Det: K.J.Adams. (abundantly fertile but heavily encrusted).
TL(52)92	905,264	19	Aldham, nr. Colchester, small pond in north east corner of Hoe Wood, abundant and showing all three `varietal' expressions. Coll: Peter & Pamela Wilson. 19 May 2003. Det: K.J.Adams.
TM(62)11	???????	19	Clacton-on-Sea, brackish dykes, date? Coll: A. Steward. det: George C.Brown.	Herbarium: Little, Cambridge Herbarium (CGE).
TM(62)22	???????	19	Kirby, near Walton-on-the-Naze, June 1877. Dr. Baker.	Natural History Museum Herbarium. Atlas Specimen No. 1236.
	???????	19	Walton Hall, Walton-le-Soken, July 1840. William L.P.Garnons (as Chara nidifica).	Specimen in Saffron Walden Museum Herbarium (SWN).