The genus chara (charophyceae, characeae) of metropolitan regions of salvador and feira de santana, bahia, Brazil

Abstract

The floristic survey of the genus Chara (Charophyceae, Characeae) in the Metropolitan Regions of Salvador and Feira de Santana, was carried out in 30 sampling station comprise six counties of RMS and six of RMFS. Vegetative and reproductive characters used in the taxonomy of the group were analyzed by optical microscopy and by scanning electron microscopy of oospores. Six species were identified: C. diaphana, C. hydropitys, C. kenoyeri, C. martiana, C. rusbyana, and C. zeylanica. Except C. hydropitys, rediscovered 186 years after the first citation for Bahia, all other taxa are additions to the phycoflora of Bahia state. The use of electron microscopy subsidized the interpretation of the ultrastructure of the oospore wall of the Chara species, and the differentiation of morphologically similar taxa. The ultrastructure of the wall of the oospore of C. martiana is described for the first time.