The Characeae oospores are frequently found in sediment samples during Quaternary palaecological studies. Counts of oospores of three Estonian Late-glacial (14000 – 11500 calibrated year before present, cal y BP) sediment cores are presented and discussed. The first postglacial findings of Characeae oospores in Estonia date back 13900 cal y BP confirming the early appearance of Characeae in pos...

Characeae (Charophyceae, Charophyta) contains two tribes with six genera: tribe Chareae with four genera and tribe Nitelleae, which includes Tolypella and Nitella. This paper uses molecular and morphological data to elucidate the phylogeny of Tolypella species in North America. In the most comprehensive taxonomic treatment of Characeae, 16 Tolypella species worldwide were subsumed into two spec...

Characean cells develop alternating alkaline and acid bands on their surface upon illumination. However, the mechanism of band formation is not fully understood. In the present study, we succeeded in inducing a new alkaline band at an original acid band in internodal cells of Chara corallina. Chloroplasts in an acid band were locally removed by wounding the cell in the absence of the cell turgo...