Electronic Flora of South Australia Species Fact Sheet

Cystophora botryocystis Sonder 1853: 670.

Phylum Phaeophyta – Order Fucales – Family Cystoseiraceae

Selected citations: J. Agardh 1896: 47. Harvey 1858: pl. 56. Nizamuddin 1964c: 42–63. Womersley 1964: 73, figs 8,9, pl. 4 fig. 1.

Thallus (Fig. 137B) medium to dark brown, 0.5–2 (–4) m long, with long, basally denuded axes and densely tufted laterals. Holdfast discoid-conical, 5–15 mm across, with a single primary axis; epilithic or occasionally epiphytic on Amphibolis. Primary axes slightly compressed and quadrangular with rounded edges in transverse section, 1.5–5 mm broad and 1–2.5 mm thick, often flexuous, with alternately distichous laterals or secondary axes from the faces of the axes; secondary axes often long but irregular in occurrence; lower parts of axes usually denuded, with short stubby residues. Laterals (Fig. 139E) 5–15 (–20) cm long, (0.5–) 1–4 cm apart on the axes, densely covered on all sides with short (0.5–1.5 cm long), terete, mostly simple ramuli, with clustered vesicles at their base. Vesicles spherical to slightly ovoid, 3–6 mm long and 3–4 mm in diameter, mutic.

Reproduction: Thalli monoecious. Receptacles (Fig. 139E,F) simple, terete and smooth to very slightly torulose when fresh, slightly compressed or three-sided when dried, 0.5–1.5 (–2) cm long and 1–1.5 mm broad. Conceptacles bisexual or often unisexual, scattered but with ostioles more or less in 2 or 3 rows; oogonia sessile, ovoid, 80–120 µm long and 60–80 µm in diameter; antheridia on branched paraphyses, ovoid, 20–25 µm long and 8–10 µm in diameter.

Type from Holdfast Bay (Gulf St Vincent), S. Aust. (Mueller); in MEL, 280.

Selected specimens: Cottesloe, W. Aust. (Lucas, Aug. 1928; Lucas Herb., NSW). Cape Donington, E. of Port Lincoln, S. Aust., 11 m deep (Shepley, 23.ii.1959; ADU, A22309). Partney I., Sir Joseph Banks Group, S. Aust., 10–12 m deep (Baldock, 13.xii.1977; ADU, A48920). American R. inlet, Kangaroo I., S. Aust., drift ( Womersley, 2.vi.1947; ADU, A5718). Encounter Bay, S. Aust. (Cleland; ADU, A3557). Marino, S. Aust., drift ( Womersley, 18.vi.1961; ADU, A26864). Kingston, S. Aust., (Womersley, 16.xii.1986; ADU, A57331-"Marine Algae of southern Australia" No. 284). Robe, S. Aust., drift (Womersley, 30.viii.1949; ADU, A11005). Brighton Beach, Port Phillip, Vic. (Harvey, Alg. Aust. Exsicc. 14F; MEL 282). Whitemark, Flinders I., Bass Str. (Perrin, June 1949; ADU, A47139). N. Tas. (Gunn; Herb. Agardh, LD).

Distribution map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of SA

Distribution: From Cottesloe, W. Aust., and Cape Donington (E. of Port Lincoln), through the Gulf Region of S. Aust. to Port Phillip, Vic. and the north coast of Tasmania.

Taxonomic notes: C. botryocystis is a deep water species on coasts of moderate to slight wave action, and is distinguished by the clustered, radially arranged ramuli with basal vesicles on the laterals.

References:

AGARDH, J.G. (1896). Analecta Algologica. Cont. III. Ada Univ. lund. 32, 1–140, Plate 1.

HARVEY, W.H. (1858). Phycologia Australica. Vol. I, Plates 1–60. (Reeve: London.)

NIZAMUDDIN, M. (1964c). The anatomy and life history of Cystophora, Acrocarpia and Caulocystis (Fucales). Bot. Mar. 7, 42–63.

SONDER, O.W. (1853). Plantae Muellerianae. Algae. Linnaea 25, 657–709.

WOMERSLEY, H.B.S. (1964). The morphology and taxonomy of Cystophora and related genera (Phaeophyta). Aust. J. Bot. 12, 53–110, Plates 1–16.

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

Author: H.B.S. Womersley

Publication: Womersley, H.B.S. (14 December, 1987)
The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia
Part II
©Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, Government of South Australia

Illustrations in Womersley Part II, 1997: FIGS 137B, 139E,F.

Figure 137   enlarge

Fig. 137. A. Cystophora racemosa (ADU, A308). B. Cystophora botryocystis (ADU, A22309).

Figure 139   enlarge

Fig. 139. Receptacles of species of Cystophora. A,B. Cystophora pectinata (ADU, A13898). A. A pinnate lateral with ramuli. B. A receptacle. C,D. Cystophora racemosa (ADU, A26739). C. An axis with laterals. D. Lower part of a lateral with receptacles and a vesicle. E,F. Cystophora botryocystis (ADU, A26864). E. An axis, and laterals with crowded ramuli and basally clustered vesicles. F. Receptacles. G,H. Cystophora polycystidea (ADU, A26755). G. Two secondary axes with laterals. H. Receptacles on a lateral.

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