The green algae in the order Charales are commonly called stoneworts or brittleworts. Stoneworts are found on all continents except Antarctica.
Growth occurs at the apex, and the plant is anchored in mud or silt by translucent rhizoids.
Male and female sexual reproductive structures grow at the nodes. The male antheridia are spherical and often orange. The female oogonia are oblong, consisting of a central cell jacketed by five tubular, spiraling cells. A crown of smaller cells sits atop the jacket cells where they come together. Often the thallus has a strong unpleasant smell, and the plants are sometimes called skunkweed.