Coral Stonewort
Chara tomentosa
Photo: iNaturalist: no rights reserved, uploaded by Tomas Pocius
Overview
Coral Stonewort (Chara tomentosa) is a distinctive freshwater macroalga characterized by its coral-like branching structure and rough, calcified surface that gives it a gritty texture. This charophyte forms dense underwater meadows in shallow waters, serving as crucial habitat for invertebrates and fish while helping to stabilize sediments and maintain water clarity through nutrient uptake.
Coral Stonewort (Chara tomentosa) faces severe decline primarily due to habitat degradation and loss of suitable freshwater environments. Water pollution, eutrophication, and changes in water chemistry have dramatically reduced the quality of shallow, calcareous waters where this aquatic macrophyte thrives. Climate change and human activities continue to fragment and destroy the remaining populations of this critically endangered charophyte.
Habitat
Coral Stonewort inhabits shallow, clear freshwater environments including pristine lakes, slow-moving streams, and spring-fed pools with hard water rich in calcium carbonate. It requires stable substrates with low nutrient levels and high water transparency, typically establishing in depths of 0.5 to 3 meters where sufficient light penetrates for photosynthesis.
Other threatened species in Characeae
Frequently asked questions
Why is Coral Stonewort classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Coral Stonewort live?
What are the main threats to Coral Stonewort?
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