The genus Spirogya (Chlorophyceae: Zygnemataceae) in West Bengal, India

Fifty taxa including 7 new species (S. benghalensis sp. nov., S. islamii sp. nov., S. kamatii sp. nov., S. pseudogauthieri sp. nov., S. subformosa sp. nov., S. subverrucosa sp. nov., S. yamagishli sp. nov.) and 3 new varieties (S. corrugata Transeau var. santiniketanensis var. nov., S. minor (Schmidle) Transeau var. chapmanii var. nov., S. polymorpha Kirchner var. bolpurensis var. nov.) of the genus Spirogyra Link are described in the present paper. Seven species (S. chekiangensis Jao, S. hopeiensis Jao, S. minutifossa. Jao, S. paraguayensis Borge, S. rhizopus Jao, S. shantungensis Li and S. ternata Ripart) are recorded for the first time from Indian subcontinent and 27 species are recorded as additions to West Bengal algae. A key to all these taxa is framed and their distribution in India and abroad is discussed.