Abstract

The rare charophyte species Chara corfuensis, which has an almost exclusively Mediterranean distribution, was recorded for the first time in two small waterbodies in southern Serbia, deep inland and far from the coast. Habitat characteristics were described in detail, as was the morphometry of the collected specimens, which corresponded well with literature data. In particular, reproductive structures—oospores and gyrogonites—were analyzed in detail, as the previous data on oospores was scarce and none existed for gyrogonites. The genetic profile of the Serbian specimens was determined based on DNA barcoding of the matK and rbcL plastid genes, confirming their taxonomic identity and showing close evolutionary relationships with most species of the subsection Hartmania.

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