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Electronic Flora of South Australia Genus Fact Sheet

Genus LIAGORA Lamouroux 1812: 185

Phylum Rhodophyta – Class Florideophyceae – Order Nemaliales – Family Liagoraceae

Thallus (gametophyte) dichotomously or irregularly branched, calcified to varying degrees. Multiaxial with a medulla of slender or sometimes robust filaments, and a cortex of subdichotomous filaments, in some species as tufts from the outer medullary cells; end cells of cortical filaments usually smaller than subterminal cells.

Tetrasporophytes minute, filamentous, branched.

Reproduction: Carpogonial branches lateral, straight to curved, 3- or 4-celled with a shortly conical carpogonium. First zygote division transverse. Carposporophyte usually with undivided carposporangia, in some species these dividing into about four. Sterile post-fertilization filaments present, irregularly and variably developed, usually forming an involucre around the carposporophyte. Spermatangia in digitate or capitate clusters on outer cortical cells.

Tetrasporangia irregularly cruciately divided.

Life history (where known) triphasic with a macroscopic gametophyte and minute tetrasporophyte.

Lectotype species: L. viscida (Forsslal) C. Agardh 1822: 395.

References:

AGARDH, C.A. (1822). Species Algarum. Vol. 1, Part 2, pp. 169–398. (Berling: Lund.)

LAMOUROUX, J.V.F. (1812). Sur la classification des Polypiers coralligènes non entièrement pierreux. Nouv. Bull. Sci. Soc. Philom. Paris 3, 181–188.

The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia Part IIIA complete list of references.

Author: H.B.S. Womersley

Publication: Womersley, H.B.S. (14 January, 1994)
The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia
Rhodophyta. Part IIIA, Bangiophyceae and Florideophyceae (to Gigartinales)
Reproduced with permission from The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia Part IIIA 1994, by H.B.S. Womersley. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. Copyright Commonwealth of Australia.

KEY TO SPECIES OF LIAGORA

1. Thallus loosely subdichotomously branched, not strongly calcified. Cortical filaments in distinct tufts, not or only slightly constricted at the cross walls. Carpogonial branches almost straight. Spermatangia in capitate clusters on the terminal cortical cells or similarly on short subterminal lateral branches

2

1. Thallus dichotomously branched, with or without numerous short laterals, strongly calcified. Cortical filaments not in distinct tufts, markedly constricted between the ovoid cells. Carpogonial branches curved. Spermatangia in digitate clusters at the end of cortical filaments

3

2. Thallus very slightly calcified, soft, subdichotomous usually at less than 1 cm intervals. Cortical filaments slightly but distinctly constricted, cells ovoid. Spermatangial heads on short laterals below apex of cortical filaments

L. codii

2. Thallus only moderately calcified, subdichotomous at intervals up to 2 cm. Cortical filaments not constricted, cells oblong. Spermatangial heads on terminal cells of cortical filaments

L. farinosa

3. Thallus densely dichotomous without laterals, tufted. Carposporangia often irregularly divided into 2.-4

L. harveyana

3. Thallus subdichotomous or irregular but with numerous, short laterals. Carposporangia undivided

L. wilsoniana


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