  We present time-series VI photometry of the metal-rich globular cluster NGC
6316. Our color-magnitude diagrams show a predominantly red-clump horizontal
branch morphology with no evidence of the blue extensions seen in NGC 6388 and
NGC 6441. Our data are in good agreement with published estimates of the
reddening and metallicity provided the cluster has an absolute distance modulus
of 15.50 mag. We have discovered more than one dozen long-period variable stars
in our field of view, and argue that at least seven of them are members of NGC
6316. We have also discovered four RR Lyrae variables, although only one of
them probably belongs to the cluster. The specific frequency of RR Lyrae stars
in NGC 6316 is found to be less than 0.4, making it clear that this cluster is
a normal, metal-rich globular and is not an analog of NGC 6388 and NGC 6441. We
recommend long-term photometric monitoring of NGC 6316 to clarify the nature of
the RR Lyrae member candidate as well as the pulsation classes of the
long-period variables.
