‘Unfinished’ Morphogenesis Hides Different Speciation Pathways in Charophytes: Evidence from the 190-Year-Old Original Material of Chara denudata (Charales, Charophyceae)

Several Chara L. species have ‘unfinished’ morphogenesis that is recognizable because of their imperfect stem and branchlet cortication compared to the perfectly corticated species. denudata A. Braun, described from South Africa, one these species, assumed for a long time be conspecific with C. dissoluta Braun ex Leonhardi, as Central Europe. An attempt resolve this long-lasting uncertainty in framework integrative taxonomy implemented here. The restudy original material both showed similarities but did not identify hiatus morphological traits, which represents evidence placement subsection R.D. Wood according morphology. Bifid adaxial bract cells, trait rarely encountered among charophytes, were found first dissoluta. According rbcL matK sequences, was unexpectedly placed within section Grovesia Wood, far clusters This obvious disagreement position Both distinct biology, habitat preference, distribution accepted Therefore, resulting similarity hides different speciation pathways charophytes.