| Characeae | |
|---|---|
| |
| Chara globularis | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Clade: | Viridiplantae |
| (unranked): | Charophyta |
| Class: | Charophyceae |
| Order: | Charales |
| Family: | Characeae S.F.Gray |
| Genera | |
Characeae is a family of freshwater green algae in the order Charales, commonly known as stoneworts. They are also known as brittleworts or skunkweed, from the fragility of their lime-encrusted stems, and from the foul odor these produce when stepped on.
In some treatments, the Characeae includes all the living (extant) species of Charales; this circumscription is followed here. In other treatments, the genus Nitellopsis, which has both extant and extinct species, is placed in a separate family, Feistiellaceae.
