Chara tomentosa Linnaeus 1753
Current name:
Chara tomentosa Linnaeus
Macro view of a detached branch . Lough Owel, Ireland. Collected by N.F. Stewart - 21 August 2019. C.F.Carter(chris.carter@6cvw.freeuk.com)
Publication Details
Chara tomentosa Linnaeus 1753: 1156
Published in: Linnaeus, C. (1753). Species plantarum, exhibentes plantas rite cognitas, ad genera relatas, cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas. Vol. 2 pp. [i], 561-1200, [1-30, index], [i, err.]. Holmiae [Stockholm]: Impensis Laurentii Salvii.
Publication date: 1 May 1753
Original description: 
Type Species
The type species (lectotype) of the genus Chara is Chara vulgaris Linnaeus.
Status of Name
This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.
Origin of Species Name
Adjective (Latin), tomentose, i.e., thickly and evenly covered with short more or less adpressed curled or curved matted hairs (Stearn 1973).
General Environment
This is a freshwater species.
Description
In this species the plants are robust, from 10 60 cm long, and the axis is up to 2
mm in diameter. Parts of the plants, especially young plants have a red colour which
is an important character for the determination of the species. Plants from deeper
water are green. The plants are usually heavily encrusted. The branchlets are 6- 8,
short, each with 4- 5 segments. The stem cortex is diplostichous, tylacanthous. The
spine cells are solitary or geminate, swollen, and similar to the stipulodes and the
bract-cells. The species is dioecious. Gametangia are at the 2-3 lowest branchlet
nodes. The oogonia are up to 1.2 mm long. The oospore is brown. The antheridia are
very large and up to 1.5 mm in diameter.
Habitat
Chara tomentosa is found both in freshwater and brackish water, the last in
the Baltic Sea (red parts on the map). It is found within the salinity area 4.5 7.5
PSU, and it is presumed that lower or higher salinity are natural limits for the
distribution of the brackish water form.
The species is found in sheltered places, bays, coastal lagoons on soft muddy
bottoms down to 3 m depth.
In freshwater Chara tomentosa is only found in calcareous waters, Chara- to
Potamogeton-lakes.
C. tomentosa is a perennial species. It grows down to a depth of 4-5 m, on
limerich sediments. Often the species is found in dense, mixed populations with other
Chara-lakes species. Fertile plants are normally found in June to September. Ripe,
brown oospores are rare, and sexual reproduction is therefore ineffective. This is, in
addition to its special habitats one of the factors which limits the distribution of the
species.
Created: 11 April 2002 by M.D. Guiry.
Last updated: 24 March 2023
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Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=35589
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
E.A. Molinari Novoa in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 24 March 2023. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 24 April 2024
