Nama : Noptian Asmara Agung

NIM : 20309110

“Chara – Alga Bercabang”

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= {^_^} Taksonomi Spesies Chara sp. {^_^} =

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Kingdom : Archaeplastida

Divisi : Charophyta

Kelas : Charophyceae

Ordo : Charales

Famili : Characeae

Genus : Chara

Spesies : Chara spp. (muskgrass, stonewort, muskwort)

Chara adalah ganggang hijau yang habitatnya di air tawar. Bentuk tubuh ganggang

ini menyerupai tumbuhan tingkat tinggi. Ada bagian yang mirip batang yang beruas-ruas

serta mempunyai struktur yang mirip helaian daun.

Chara adalah bentuk tingkat lanjut dari alga yang sering disangka sebagai tumbuhan

vascular ingkat tinggi. Biasa dikenal dengan nama muskgrass (rumput kasturi) atau

stonewort. Dapat diidentifikasi dengan adanya bau seperti bau kasturi ketika dihancurkan dan

tekstur yang terasa kasar seperti pasir yang mana berfungsi untuk menyimpan kalsium di atas

permukaan tanah. Ketika di lepaskan dari air, Chara akan mengering tidak lebih hanya

beberapa jam dari cahaya matahari yang ditandai dengan berubahnya warna dari abu-abu

menjadi putih pada saat kering. Chara tidak akan tumbuh di atas permukaan tanah.

Petumbuhan yang semakin padat, bergabung tetapi tidak berakar mungkin melindungi

seluruh dasar dari area garis pantai atau kolam.

1. Perkembangbiakan Chara

Chara berkembangbiak secara generatif. Ganggang ini bersifat heterotalus. Oogonium

dan anteridium terdapat pada ruas-ruas tubuh yang mirip batang. Masing-masing

gametangium menghasilkan sel telur dan sel kelamin jantan. Hasil pembuahannya adalah

zigota. Inti zigota akan membelah secara meiosis dan menghasilkan zigospora. Setelah

masak, zigospora akan lepas dari induknya. Di tempat yang sesuai, zigospora tumbuh

menjadi Chara baru.

Gambar 1. Chara fragilis, salah satu spesies Chara

Gambar 2. Oogonium pada

Chara delicatula Gambar 3. Chara sp.

2. Contoh Chara

Berbagai spesies Chara, yaitu:

Chara fragilis

Chara delicatula

Chara hispida

Chara vulgaris

Chara polyacantha

Chara tamentosa

Although these common lake inhabitants look similar to many underwater plants, they

are actually algae. Muskgrasses are green or gray-green colored algae that grow

completely submersed in shallow (4 cm) to deep (20 m) water. Individuals can vary

greatly in size, ranging from 5 cm to 1 m in length. The main "stem" of muskgrasses bear

whorls of branchlets, clustered at regularly spaced joints. When growing in hard water,

muskgrasses sometimes become coated with lime, giving them a rough gritty feel. These

algae are identifiable by their strong skunk-like or garlic odor, especially evident when

crushed.

Leaf: Algae lack true leaves. Six to 16 leaf-like branchlets of equal length grow in whorls

around the stem, and are never divided. These branchlets often bear tiny thorn-like

projections, which give the plant a rough or prickly appearance when magnified.

Stem: Algae lack true stems. The round, stem-like structure varies from 5 cm to over 1 m in

length.

Flower: Algae do not produce flowers. Instead, microscopic one-celled sex organs called

oogonia are formed. These tiny organs and patterns in the cases that surround them are used

to distinguish between species.

Fruit: Algae do not produce fruits. Tiny spores are produced in fruiting bodies. In some

species the fruiting bodies are orange and very conspicuous.

Root: Muskgrasses may be attached to the bottom by root-like structures called holdfasts.

Propagation: Spores carried by water and waterfowl; plant fragments.

Importance of plant: An important food source for waterfowl, particularly ducks. Provides

valuable protection for young fish and invertebrates. Muskgrasses grow quickly and

occasionally cover the entire bottom of ponds, however its low growth rarely causes it to be

considered a nuisance in Washington.

Distribution: Worldwide. More than 30 species in the U.S.

Habitat: Fresh to brackish water, inland and coastal, in both shallow and deep water. Some

species found in alkaline lakes and slow-moving streams. Muskgrassses will often grow in

deeper water than vascular aquatic plants.

May be confused with: Other plant-like algae: Nitella (Nitella spp.), which have

symmetrically forked smooth branchlets, do not have lime coatings, and lack the odor of

muskgrasses; and Tolypella spp., which have unsymmetrically forked branches. Slender

water-nymph (Najas flexilus) and coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum) are vascular plants

which have a different leaf structure and do not produce an odor when crushed.