Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae, Series B, Historia Naturalis, 57 [2001] (3-4): 51-56 issued February 2002 Sbornfk Narodntho muzea, Serie B, Pffrodnf vedy, 57 [2001] (3-4): 51-56 SOME CHAROPHYTES (CHLOROPHYTA, CHARALES) FROM ALASKA, USA ANDERSLANGANGEN Hallagerbakken 82b, 1256 Oslo, Norway; e-mail:
[email protected] Langangen, A. (2002): Some Charophytes (Chlorophyta, Charales) from Alaska, USA. - Acta Mus. Nat. Pragae, Ser. B, Hist. Nat., 56 [200 I] (3-4): 51-56, Praha. ISSN 0036-5343. Abstract. Based on herbarium studies, seven charophytes are reported from Alaska: Nitella flexilis, N. opaca , Tolypella canadensis, Chara contraria, C. globularis, C. virgata and C. aspera. In addition Nitella acuminata and three N0l1h American species have been reported: Nitella opacoides, N. atkahensis and Chara macounii. The author questions the validity ofthese taxa, and is ofthe opinion that they are forms ofNitella jlexlis and Chara aspera respectivily. Ecological information and distributions are given for each species; maps illustrate their distribution in Alaska. • Charophytes, Characeae, Chara, Nitella, Tolypella, Alaska. Received September 4, 2000 Introduction Alaska is the northernmost state of the USA. It covers an Another species reported from Alaska is Nitella acumina area ofc. 1.5 million krrr',and extends from 51"Nto 71ON. The ta subglomerata, which has no visible differences from N. climate varies greatly, from arctic in the north, to continental in jlexilis f. subcapitata A. BRAUN (see also icon 178 and 187 in the interior to coastal in the south. Much of the state has Wood and Imahori 1964). permafrost (Text-fig. 1). Ecology: In Alaska N flexilis has only been found in fresh Charophytes have been little studied in Alaska, and there water lakes and ponds from sea level to 700 m a.s.l.