Charophytes of Australia’s Northern Territory - I. Tribe Chareae Author Casanova, Michelle T. Author Karol, Kenneth G. text Australian Systematic Botany 2023 2023-03-30 36 1 38 79 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sb22023 journal article 10.1071/SB22023 1446-5701 10904227 Chara zeylanica Klein ex Willd., Mém. Acad. Roy. Sci. Hist. ( Berlin ) 1803: 86 (1805) Chara polyphylla subsp. ceylanica A.Braun, Boston J. Nat. Hist. 5: 264 (1845) , nom. illeg. ; C. gymnopus var. ceylanica (A.Braun) Allen, Charac. America 1: 63 (1888) , as ʻ Ceylonica ʼ. Type : Ceylon collecta , 26 May 1798 , J .Klein 508 (lecto: B-W!; isolecto: HBG !, MEL !). Chara zeylanica f. typica Zaneveld , Blumea 4: 208 (1940) , nom. inval. Monoecious. Plants up to 10–50 cm high, compact and often highly calcified in shallow water, but elongate in deeper water ( Fig. 22 a ). Axes up to 400–800 µm in diameter; internodes essentially 3× corticated, (22–30 cells around), 24–65 mm long ( Fig. 22 b ). Spine cells sometimes obscure, where present occurring singly, in pseudo-whorls on the axes, very long and thin up to 800–1000 μm long and 20–40 μm wide ( Fig. 22 b ). Stipulodes in 2 whorls, uppers pointing up (500–600 μm long), lowers pointing down (300–400 μm long), 2× the number as branchlets in each of the whorls ( Fig. 22 c ). Branchlets 9–11 in a whorl, 10–22 mm long, segments 6–8, the basal cell ( Fig. 22 d ) and 1 or2 end cells not corticated (sometimes the basal cell is obscured by the upper row of stipulodes), the remainder corticated with ~14–18 cells around ( Fig. 22 c ). Bract cells 4–6 verticillate at the branchlet nodes, elongate, inner cells up to 0.4–1.2 mm long, outer up to 0.6 mm long, bracteoles 2, up to 0.5–1.3 mm long ( Fig. 22 e ). Gametangia conjoined singly at the lowest 4 or 5 branchlet nodes. Oosporangia 1000–1200 µm long and 600–700 µm wide, 9 stripes of helical cells, coronula up to 100–150 µm high, cells appressed. Oospores black, 850 µm long, 250 µm wide ( Fig. 22 f ), fossa wall with a calcified covering ( gyrogonite 1000 µm long). Striae of 10 or 11 flanged ridges, fossa wall 80 μm across, papillate ( Fig. 22 g ), small basal claws present. Basal cell impression rounded, ~100 µm in diameter ( Fig. 22 h ) Antheridia 200–250 µm in diameter, tetrascutate ( Fig. 22 e ). Chromosomes n = 28 (specimen A . T .Hotchkiss , 5 Nov. 1968 ( B )). Distribution In freshwater streams and rivers in the north of Australia , throughout tropical Asia and most of the tropical regions of the world. Etymology Zeylanica is from the Latin Zeylonas, the species being named for its occurrence in Ceylon ( Sri Lanka ). Notes Plants are usually notably coarse and smelly, with abundant reproductive structures visible along the branchlets. Chara zeylanica is one of a few Chara species known with tetrascuate antheridia (with 4 lozenge-shaped shield cells, rather than the 8 triangular shield-cells typical of the genus; Proctor et al. 1971 ). Sterile plants are distinguished on the basis of the naked (ecorticate) basal branchlet cell, the well-developed stipulodes in two rows, and the axial cortex cells three times the number of branchlets in the adjacent whorl, often with long spine cells. A single specimen from Pullout Bore ( P . K .Latz & A .Schubert 28441 (DNA)) has variable development of the axial cortex, similar to Chara brittonii Allen ex C.B.Rob. , but is retained in C. zeylanica pending further study. Specimens examined NORTHERN TERRITORY : Pullout Bore , 15 km NNW of Amanbidji Settlement , 11 Sep. 2013 , P . K . Latz & A . Schubert 28441 (DNA) [specimen without axial cortex in part]; Upper Wickham River , 1 Mar. 1989 , Russell-Smith 7734 & Lucas (DNA); Gove Road at Mainoru River Crossing , 21 Oct. 1981 , T . S . Henshall 3895 (DNA); Bradshaw Station , 18 Feb. 1999 , C . R . Michell 2157 (DNA); Jarong Spring , Wingate Mountains 16 Mar. 1989 , Brock 701 & Russell-Smith (DNA); Daly River Mission , 6 Oct. 1992 , L . L . V . Williams 296 & G . M . Wightman (DNA); Lake Eames , Vanderlin Island , 1 Aug. 1988 , P . K . Latz 11084 ( BRI , DNA, MEL , NT ); Roper River , 2000, S . Townsend R4 (DNA) ; waterfall pool north of West Baines River Crossing , 5 Nov. 1968 , A . T . Hotchkiss x-251 ( B ); Daly River , 2001, S . Townsend p56 ( MEL ); Howard Springs , Darwin area, 28 June 1977 , L . A . Craven 4472 ( CANB ); Bulls Run Creek , Tipperary Station , 4 May 1990 , G . J . Leach & I . D. Cowie 2852 (DNA, MEL ); Mataranka Reserve , 4 May 1977 , Must 1487 ( CANB , MEL ); Daly River crossing, 12 Nov. 1982 , C . R . Dunlop 6293 (DNA); Amelia Springs , MacArthur River area, 30 Jan. 1976 , L . A . Craven 3536 (DNA); Robinson River , approx. 12 km N of Seven Emu , 10 May 1985 , G . Leach 631 (DNA, MEL , NT ); Kulamindini Swamp , near Elliott , 22 Apr. 1991 , D. J . Parsons 137 (DNA); Chambers Bay , Woolner Station , coastal floodplain, 19 June 1995 , I . Cowie & R . Griffin 5851 (DNA); Port Darwin , 9 Apr. 1896 , T . B . Blow A98 ( BM ) .