Abstract
The study reports results of morphometric measurements of two morphologically similar charophytes, Chara globularis Thuill. and Chara virgata Kutz.. Although both species differ in ecological spectra, they can co-occur in the same lakes. Morphological differences given in identification keys can be problematic in the field study. Therefore, additional features were tested and suggested as possibly useful, supplementary differences. 10 individuals of both species growing under similar conditions (littoral of a meromictic, mesotrophic lake, mid-Western Poland) were collected in the vegetation season 2005. Statistical tests evidenced that out of 9 features 6 differed the studied species. Axis diameter, the length of internodes and the length of branchlets revealed the most significant differences. Chara virgata is smaller than Chara globularis even in similar or common habitats. The proposed branchlet length: internode length ratio, higher for Chara virgata than for Chara globularis, can be applied as a useful measure for the species differentiation, particularly under conditions where both charophytes co-occur.
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