Chara kokeilii
Chara kokeilii A. braun
Chara globularis Thuill.var. kokeilii (A. Braun) R.D. Wood
Streptophyta: Characeae
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B2ab(i,ii,iii); C1].
Morphology and biology. Thallus up to 30 cm high, bright green, with slight calcareous incrustations. The ‘stem’ is 0.8 mm in diameter; internodes unequal in length but not exceeding 4 cm, shorter than the branches (‘leaves’) in the lower part of the thallus and longer in the upper part. The ‘cortex’ seems smooth, the branchlets (‘stipules’) are in two rows but are difficult to be seen even with lens. The branches (‘leaves’) are also in nodes, in groups of 9–11. Monoecious, algae in which the sexual organs are situated together (one oogonium and one antheridium at the node of the branchlet) and are visible with the naked eye.
Habitats and populations. Stagnant waters.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea Coast (Southern – only in the region of Primorsko).
General distribution. C and S Europe (Bulgaria, R Macedonia, Serbia).
Threats. Habitat destruction due to active processes of building along the Black Sea coastline and direct collection by tourists.
Conservation measures taken. Included in the “Red List of Bulgarian algae. I. Macroalgae”.
Conservation measures needed. Control of the building activities along the Black Sea; raising public awareness and environmental education of the population.
References. Wodenitscharov 1963; Vodenicharov et al. 1971; Temniskova et al. 2005; Blaženčić et al. 2006; Temniskova et al., 2008.
Authors: Dobrina Temniskova & Maya Stoyneva
