Reinstatement of the genus Haemescharia (Rhodophyta, Haemeschariaceae fam.nov.) for H . polygyria and H . hennedyi comb.nov. (= Petrocelis hennedyi )
The crustose red alga Haemescharia polygyna Kjellman, identified by comparison with unpublished drawings of type material, is a conspicuous element in the subtidal flora of the Canadian arctic and Greenland; it is the dominant noncoralline crust in these areas at depths from 3 to 46 m. Petrocelis he...
| Published in: | Canadian Journal of Botany |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
1989
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b89-196 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b89-196 |
| Summary: | The crustose red alga Haemescharia polygyna Kjellman, identified by comparison with unpublished drawings of type material, is a conspicuous element in the subtidal flora of the Canadian arctic and Greenland; it is the dominant noncoralline crust in these areas at depths from 3 to 46 m. Petrocelis hennedyi (Harvey) Batters, previously known only from northern Europe, is reported from Nova Scotia, Canada. These two species are remarkably similar in vegetative and reproductive characters, differing principally in the larger size of most structures in H. polygyna and the longer rows of tetrasporangia in P. hennedyi (up to 12, compared with a maximum of 6 (8) in H. polygyna). Accordingly, P. hennedyi is transferred to Haemescharia hennedyi (Harvey) comb.nov. The family Haemeschariaceae fam.nov. (Gigartinales) is proposed, based on the unique intercalary chains of obliquely cruciate tetrasporangia, and further characterized by the following: the crustose morphology of isomorphic tetrasporophytes and gametophytes; monoecious gametophytes forming lateral (1-) 2-celled carpogonial branches; carpogonia dividing after fertilization and producing up to 8 connecting filaments that fertilize identifiable intercalary auxiliary cells and give rise to simple carposporophytes from the point of junction between connecting filament and auxiliary cell. |
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