AbstractChara vulgarisL. growing in a brackish water lake was investigated in a field study during the main growth season (May to October 1985). Sucrose content and the ionic concentrations of the cations Na+, K+, Mg2+and Ca2+and the anions Cl−and SO42‐of the vacuolar sap were estimated. Sucrose concentration in the vacuolar sap of vegetative growing plants was negligible, but with the beginning of the sexual reproduction period (fructification) the sucrose content increased from about 2 mol m−3to 110 mol m−3. This level remained constant until the end of the fructification period. In spite of the increase of the sucrose concentration the osmotic potential of the vacuolar sap was constant. This was achieved by changing the ionic concentrations accordingly; in old or vegetative growing plants the ionic content accounted for about 80% of the vacuolar osmotic potential, but was about 63% during fructification. Sucrose is considered as a major photosynthate to supply the developing antheridia and oogonia and to serve as a precursor for the starch stored in t