Chara contraria var. hispidula Braun (Charales) in Newfoundland, Canada a new variety described from North America

A Chara exhibiting extreme morphological features including stipulodes, spine cells, and bracteoles is described and subjected to barcoding procedures to determine whether it belongs to the Chara contraria group or the C. hispida group. MatK barcoding clearly placed it in the C. contraria clade which was consistent with gametangial morphology, but not stipulode, spine cell and bracteole morphology. The specimen was determined to be included in the Chara contraria var. hispidula taxon, not previously reported or described for Newfoundland, Canada, or the USA.

Automated summary

This study describes a Chara specimen with extreme morphological features and determines its classification through barcoding procedures. The specimen was identified as Chara contraria var. hispidula, which has not been previously reported or described in Newfoundland, Canada, or the USA.