Twelve species of Charophyceae were collected at different locations in the eastern part of Austria and photosynthetic pigments analyzed by means of rP-HPLC (reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography). Besides pigments typical of higher plants, also g-carotene was detected in antheridia and for the first time in sterile specimens of Chara tomentosa. Probably there exists two fractions of ß-carotene, one closely associated with g-carotene in separate compartments, the other independent of g-carotene and located in the photosystems. Chlorophyll a on the basis of ash-free dry mass was comparable to that of planktonic algae and submerged angiosperms (about 0.5%), but pigment content varied in a wide range, suggesting adaptations to ecological conditions such as light or temperature. Our results indicate that fresh and dry mass are not suitable as a reference quantity in stoneworts due to high calcium carbonate precipitation.