This document discusses the characteristics of charophyta, a division of green algae. Charophyta resembles plants and grows in muddy or sandy areas worldwide. They have a macroscopic plant body covered in a thick, brittle crust. The cells are prokaryotic, elongated, and contain discoid chloroplasts. Reproduction can occur vegetatively through amylium stars, bulbils, or protonema. Sexual reproduction is oogamous through specialized structures. There are 7 living genera containing 294 species classified in this division.

2. Characteristics
of Charophyta

3. Resemblance Occurrence Thallus
organization
Cell structure Reproduction classification

4. • The green algae included in
this division was once
classified in chlorophyta as a
class charophycea
• But now raised to the status of
division the genera included in
charyophytes are much
different from the members of
chlorophyta morphologically
and in some other
characteristics.
• The plant body is macroscopic
and resembles those of
Arthrophyta.

6. The charyophytes are world
wide in distribution and
grow in muddy or sandy
bottoms of clear lakes or
ponds, or in limestone
streams.
Charyophytes are also called
stoneworts and brittleworts
because the plant surface is
usually covered by a thick,
brittle, limy crust of calcium
carbonate.

10. The cell are prokaryotic, long,
uninucleate, contain discoid
chloroplasts and are bounded
by cellulosic cell wall.
The protoplasm show a rapid
streaming movement parallel
to the long axis of the cell.
A prominent large central
vacuole occupies the centre
of the internodal cells
therefore cytoplasm is
peripheral.

11. Reproduction
Vegetative
reproduction
Sexual
reproduction
The asexual
reproduction by
spore formation is
absent

12. Vegetative reproduction
Amylum
stars
Bulbils
Protonema

13. Amylum
stars
Bulbils
Protonema
These are star shaped
aggregates of cell
developed from the
lower nodes. They are
densely filled with
starch
These are bodies
with food stored in
them that develop
upon rhizoids.
The outgrowths
that develop
from the nodes

14. Sexual reproduction is
strictly oogamous and the
gametes are produced in
specialized complex
structure the globules
(anthredium) and nucleus
(oogonium)

15. In charyophytes 7 living genera with about
294 species have been recorded. These are Chara (27 species)
Tolypella (3 species)
Nitella (37 species)
Nitellopsis (a single specie)
Lychnothamnus (a single specie)
Lamprothamnium
Protochara.