Differentiation of Chara gymnopitys A. Br. and Chara hydropitys Reich. by morphological characters, isozyme analysis and oospore wall ornamentation

Morphological, electrophoretic and SEM analyses are used to assess the differences between C. gymnopitys A. Braun and C. hydropitys Reichenbach. A comparative study of the twelve isozymes through polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis supports the findings of the morphological studies which had demonstrated that the two taxa investigated are distinct. The SEM study of the oospore wall ornamentation of the two species also shows distinct variations in the ornamentation pattern. The present study has provided evidence for the establishment of C. gymnopitys and C. hydropitys as two distinct species.