Muskgrass
This workbook describes Chara, a branched muskgrass algae that can be found in fresh and brackish waters. There are approximately thirty-five species of muskgrasses, which include Nitellas and two Tolypellas (not pictured here). Muskgrass is called by this name because when crushed in your hand it has a distinctive ill-smelling musky odor. Usually yellow-green to grayish-green, it often carries calcareous (lime) deposits on the branches which feel gritty or bristly. The short, evenlength branches occur in whorls, 6-16 of them, radiating from each joint or node. The branchlets are never forked in Chara. Generally Chara is found in alkaline or hard waters and can become a nuisance, covering the entire pond bottom. In some areas, it may grow as high as three feet. Dense growths may hinder waterflow and even interfere with fishing.