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Chara
Classification
Phylum:
Charophyta
Class:
Charophyceae
Order:
Charales
Superfamily:
Unknown
Family:
Characeae
Formal Genus Name and Reference:
Chara LINNAEUS, 1753, p. 1,156; emend., AGARDH, 1824, p. 27; emend., A. BRAUN, 1849, p. 292
Type Species:
C. tomentosa; OD; see also HORN AF RANTZIEN & OLSEN, 1949, p. 99]
Images
(Click to enlarge in a new window)
FIG. 64,1a–d. *C. tomentosa L., Holocene, Sweden; a, lateral view; b, apical view; c, basal view, ×44; d, basal plate, ×350 (Soulié-Märsche, 1989, pl. XXI,2,4,5, pl. XV,1).——FIG. 64,1e. C. notata GRAMBAST & PAUL, lower Miocene, France; lateral view, ×80 (Feist & Ringeade, 1977, pl. XII,7).——FIG. 64,1f. C. antennata GRAMBAST, upper Eocene, United Kingdom; lateral view, ×80 (Feist-Castel, 1977a, pl. 22,1).——FIG. 64,1g. C. microcera GRAMBAST & PAUL, upper Oligocene, France; longitudinal section, basal plate upside down, ×70 (Castel, 1967, pl. XXI,13).
Synonyms
Characias, Characella, Charopsis, Characeites, Protochara, Grambastichara, Charites, Amphorochara, Granulachara
Geographic Distribution
worldwide
Age Range
Beginning Stage in Treatise Usage:
Upper Cretaceous
Beginning International Stage:
Cenomanian
Fraction Up In Beginning Stage:
0
Beginning Date:
100.5
Ending Stage in Treatise Usage:
Holocene
Ending International Stage:
Meghalayan
Fraction Up In Ending Stage:
0
Ending Date:
0
Description
Apex psilocharoid, convex, with cellular apical ends enlarged, generally shaped into a cap without apical nodules; in ornamented species (occurring as fossils) apical tubercles present, similar to those of lateral parts of gyrogonite. General shape of gyrogonite ellipsoid to cylindroid, sometimes very elongated. Basal plate pyramidal, its thickness being more than half of width. Size small to medium. [A great number of species were designated formerly under the name Chara without any real taxonomic significance, meaning roughly Characeae or charophytes.
References
Museum or Author Information
Classification
Phylum:
Charophyta
Class:
Charophyceae
Order:
Charales
Superfamily:
Unknown
Family:
Characeae
Formal Genus Name and Reference:
Chara LINNAEUS, 1753, p. 1,156; emend., AGARDH, 1824, p. 27; emend., A. BRAUN, 1849, p. 292
Type Species:
C. tomentosa; OD; see also HORN AF RANTZIEN & OLSEN, 1949, p. 99]
Images
(Click to enlarge in a new window)
FIG. 64,1a–d. *C. tomentosa L., Holocene, Sweden; a, lateral view; b, apical view; c, basal view, ×44; d, basal plate, ×350 (Soulié-Märsche, 1989, pl. XXI,2,4,5, pl. XV,1).——FIG. 64,1e. C. notata GRAMBAST & PAUL, lower Miocene, France; lateral view, ×80 (Feist & Ringeade, 1977, pl. XII,7).——FIG. 64,1f. C. antennata GRAMBAST, upper Eocene, United Kingdom; lateral view, ×80 (Feist-Castel, 1977a, pl. 22,1).——FIG. 64,1g. C. microcera GRAMBAST & PAUL, upper Oligocene, France; longitudinal section, basal plate upside down, ×70 (Castel, 1967, pl. XXI,13).
Synonyms
Characias, Characella, Charopsis, Characeites, Protochara, Grambastichara, Charites, Amphorochara, Granulachara
Geographic Distribution
worldwide
Age Range
Beginning Stage in Treatise Usage:
Upper Cretaceous
Beginning International Stage:
Cenomanian
Fraction Up In Beginning Stage:
0
Beginning Date:
100.5
Ending Stage in Treatise Usage:
Holocene
Ending International Stage:
Meghalayan
Fraction Up In Ending Stage:
0
Ending Date:
0
Description
Apex psilocharoid, convex, with cellular apical ends enlarged, generally shaped into a cap without apical nodules; in ornamented species (occurring as fossils) apical tubercles present, similar to those of lateral parts of gyrogonite. General shape of gyrogonite ellipsoid to cylindroid, sometimes very elongated. Basal plate pyramidal, its thickness being more than half of width. Size small to medium. [A great number of species were designated formerly under the name Chara without any real taxonomic significance, meaning roughly Characeae or charophytes.