Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 31(2): 325-327, 2024 (December)  - Short communication  
© 2024 Bangladesh Association of Plant Taxonomists  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/bjpt.v31i2.78760  

NITELLA STUARTII BRAUN: A NEW RECORD OF CHAROPHYCEAE FOR 

BANGLADESH 
 

NUR E TAJ JAHAN TONNE, TANVIR AHMED AND MD. ALMUJADDADE ALFASANE* 
 

Department of Botany, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh 

 

Keywords: Nitella stuartii Braun; New record; Characeae; Bangladesh. 

 

 

 In Bangladesh, a total of 11 taxa of Nitella (C. Agardh) Hooker have been reported so far 

(Ahmed et al. 2009). In this paper, here we are describing Nitella stuartii Braun as new record 

from Bangladesh. Nitella stuartii Braun is a species of stonewort in the family Characeae, 

belonging to the freshwater algae group. This species has a broad distribution, including New 

Zealand (North and South Islands), South America, Australia, and India (Pal et al., 1962).  

 The plant sample was collected through a comprehensive research expedition to Mithamoin 

Haor in the Kishoreganj district of Bangladesh. Geographically, the haor is located between the 

latitudes of approximately 24°17'30"N and 24°34'30"N, and longitudes of 90°58'40"E and 

91°17'20"E. The sampling was conducted during the pre-monsoon season of 2024. The plant 

specimen, along with a few other aquatic angiosperms, was gathered from the shallow water area 

of the haor and placed in a large, airtight polyethylene bag mixed with water. It was delivered 

within six hours of the sample being collected to the Department of Botany in Phycology, 

Limnology, and Hydrobiology Laboratory at the University of Dhaka. The laboratory maintained 

voucher specimens and preserved certain fresh materials in 4% formaldehyde.  

 The specimen has been identified as Nitella stuartii Braun by consulting standard literature 

(Pal et al., 1962; Bourrelly, 1972; Nieuwland, 1973; Prescott, 1982; Ling and Tyler, 2000; Ahmed 

et al., 2009). No records have been identified in the Encyclopedia of Flora of Bangladesh (Ahmed 

et al., 2009). Hence, it is reported here as a new record for Bangladesh (Fig. 1). 

 Division: Charophyta, Class: Charophyceae, Family: Characeae, Genus: Nitella, Species: 

Nitella stuartii Braun. Synonym: N. subglomerata var. japonica Allen T.F. 

 A submerged aquatic macroalga, Nitella stuartii is characterized by its low-growing habit 

(<0.3 m), often resembling a "bird's nest." It features whorls of forked branchlets, with each whorl 

producing two levels of branchlets of varying lengths, resulting in a densely branched appearance. 

The plant is monoecious, with at least four branchlets per node that are bifurcated twice. In the 

upper whorls, it displays heterochlamy, while fertile branchlets have 5–6 secondary rays that are 

significantly shortened. The branchlets are tufted, with one-celled dactyls (4–6 in number), equal 

in length, and acuminate with a narrowed base. Fruiting occurs at both branchlet nodes, with 

oogonia forming in clusters. The oospores are brown, measuring approximately 250 µm in length 

and 200 µm in width, with a finely reticulate membrane. 

 

 

*Corresponding author: mujaddade@yahoo.com 

 



326 TONNE et al. 

 
 

Fig. 1.  Nitella stuartii Braun, a new record of aquatic plant for Bangladesh. 

 

Acknowledgements 

 The authors would like to thank the funding agency, the 5th phase BAS-USDA Endowment   

Program (CC-22) in Agriculture and Life Sciences, for providing the necessary financial supprot. 

 

References 

Ahmed, Z.U., Begum, Z.N.T., Hassan, M.A., Khondker, M., Kabir, S.M.H., Ahmad, M., Ahmed, A.T.A., and 

Rahman, A.K.A.(eds.). 2009. Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh, Vol. 4. Algae, 

Charophyta – Rhodophyta (Achnanthaceae – Vaucheriaceae). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka, 
543 pp. 

Bourrelly, P. 1972. Les Algues Deۥau Douce. Initiation à la systématique. Tome I: Les Algues Vertes. ed. N. 

Boubée  and Cie, Paris, 572 pp. 



NITELLA STUARTII BRAUN: A NEW RECORD OF CHAROPHYCEAE 327 

Ling, H.U. and Tyler, P.A. 2000. Australian Freshwater Algae (exclusive of diatoms). Bibl. Phycol. Bd. 105. 
J. Cramer, Berlin. 643 pp. 

Nieuwland, J.A. 1973. The American Midland Naturalist. 90 (2): 1-512. 

Pal, B.P., Kundu, B.C., Sundaralingam, V.S. and Venkataraman, G.S. 1962. Charophyta. Indian Council of 
Agricultural Research New Delhi. The Times of India Press, Bombay, India, 130 pp. 

Prescott, G.W. 1982 (Reprinted). Algae of the Western Great Lakes area. Otto Koeltz Sci. Publ. Koenigstein, 
Germany, 977 pp. 

 

(Manuscript received on 25 August 2024; revised on 17 November 2024)