B. Papp szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 32. 2001 (Budapest, 2001)

Langangen, A.; Leghari, S. M.: Some charophytes (Charales) from Pakistan

having uniformly 2-celled rays. According to WOOD (1965) the two species, N. oligospira and N. dictyosperma, differ from N. mucronata by having solitary oogonia. Nitella oligospira has according to ZANEVELD (1940) abbreviated dactyls, which N. dictyosperma does not have. These characters have been used for determination here. The value of these characters as distinctive for species can be discussed. This is also stressed by WOOD (1965). Comments on studied plants: Specimens monoecious with solitary oogonia. Three secondary rays, and all rays uniformly 2-celled. No abbreviated dactyls observed. Ecology: In freshwater (with Typha doming ens is). Distribution: Originally described from Antigua in the West Indies (GROVES and GROVES 1898) and later found in a few other localities in North and South America (WOOD 1965), and in Burma (PAL 1931). Recently the species has also been found scattered through India (PATEL and JAWALE 1981), and in Bangladesh (ISLAM and S ARM A 1976). The most interesting findings are from Gujarat province in India (PATEL and JAWALE 1981) on the border with Sindh province in Pakistan. The species has also been reported from China (LU 1987), but judged from his drawings which show specimens with many abbreviated dactyls, this is more probably N. oligospira. The locality of N. dictyosperma is shown in Figure 2. Note: The closely related species, Nitella mucronata and N. oligospira, have been found scattered through the Indian subcontinent (PAL et al. 1962). In Pakistan both species have been found in the Lahore area. Nitella pakistanica which originally was described as dioecious, is according to WOOD and IMAHORI (1965) monoecious and is therefore presumably synonymous with N. mucronata. Nitella pakistanica is only reported from two localities in Lahore (WOOD 1965). An evaluation of the determinations and occurrence of these four related species in Pakistan is necessary. Nitella confervacea (Bréb.) A. Braun Locality (1): Prov. Sindh: Dadu, Rani Kot springs, 8.4.1999. References to Pakistan: None. General: Plants small, to 5 cm high. Dactyls 3-5, uniformly 2-celled. Monoecious. Gametangia at all fertile branchlet nodes. Oospore with granulate membrane. Comments on studied plants: Plants to 5 cm high, with stem diameter 0.25 mm. 5-6 branchlets in each whorl, 1-2 furcate. Dactyls 4, 2-celled. End-cell short, tapering to mucronate. Gametangia solitary, at first and second branchlet nodium,