charophyta

Division : Charophyta
Class : Charophyceae
Order : Charales
Family : Characeae
Genus : Chara
: Nitella
Chara


• They are multicellular and superficially resemble land plants because of stem-like and leaf-like structures. They are found in fresh water, particularly in limestone areas, it grow submerged , lived in water rich with calcium carbonate . They prefer less oxygenated and hard water and are not found in waters where mosquito larvae are present.
• It grow to height of 5-130 cm ,the plant body is consist of a main axis (differentiated into nodes and internodes), dimorphic branches (long branch of unlimited growth and short branches of limited growth), rhizoids and stipulodes (needle shaped structures at the base of secondary laterals ) .
• Chara reproduces vegetatively and sexually. Vegetative by tubers . sexual reproduction by forming globule (male) and nucule (female). Globule (down ward) nucule ( up ward)
Chara sexual structures
Nitella
• It long, slender, delicate, smooth-textured algae lie on the bottom of a lake . Nitella prefers more acidic soil with soft sediments
• It grow much deeper than Chara , more branched ,sexual structures are smaller than Chara , Globule (up ward) nucule ( down ward) .