Diversity and Distribution of Characeae in the Maghreb (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia)

• DOI: 10.7872/crya/v38.iss3.2017.201
• Publication Date: 2017-08-24T10:28:57Z
• Authors: Serge D. Muller; Laïla Rhazi; Ingeborg Soulie-M...; Mohamed Benslama; Marion Bottollier...; Amina Daoud-Bouat...; Gérard De Belair; Zeineb Ghrabi-Gammar; Patrick Grillas; Laure Paradis; Hanene Zouaïdia-A...
• Keywords: Nitella; Chara

Characeae are macroscopic green algae present in the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) that known since 19th century works of Desfontaines (1800) and Braun (1868). Feldmann (1946) published first regional synthesis, this study provides a new Maghreb-wide synthesis all collections made 1784 (570 observations distributed over 464 sites). Each 31 reported species is described detail with its diagnostic features, ecology distribution three Maghrebian countries. Distribution maps distinguish between collection periods: 1780–1939, 1940–1979, 1980–2016. An illustrated key provided to help botanists working identify taxa. From biogeographical perspective, Characean flora dominated by elements originating from northern (European) countries (61.3%) include regionally very rare such as Chara strigosa C. tomentosa. The Mediterranean-Atlantic element also well represented (32.3%), some Mediterranean endemics (Chara imperfecta, oedophylla, vulgaris var. gymnophylla). Finally, two taxa have an affinity for tropical conditions zeylanica Lamprothamnium succinctum) extend southern Sahara. In North Africa, 14 (7 Chara, 2 Lamprothamnium, 4 Nitella 1 Sphaerochara) threatened raise issues about their conservation; these particularly endangered: oedophylla papulosum.