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Electronic Flora of South Australia Genus Fact Sheet
Phylum Phaeophyta – Order Fucales – Family Sargassaceae
Taxonomic notes: There are probably more inadequate specimens of species of Arthrophycus in herbaria than of any other genus of algae. In most cases, neither the basal parts nor the upper parts alone can be identified with any certainty, and such specimens are best disregarded. Only mature complete specimens, with the basal stipe and laterals and mature, upper, fertile parts are worth preserving. These occur in spring and early summer.
Both J. Agardh, and Grunow (1915, 1916) in particular, described species or varieties on the basis of single and often fragmentary specimens. J. Agardh's species are placed in synonymy below, but Grunow's varieties have not been accounted for since they are not, in general, worth recognising.
Only five southern Australian species of Arthrophycus are here recognised, on the basis of very extensive herbarium collections and field knowledge over many years. They are separated on features of both the basal laterals and the receptacles. These species concepts may be broad ones, and further testing of these taxonomic hypotheses is necessary by seasonal observations on the development of particular populations of species, especially of the receptacles, as well as ecological comparisons of different populations.
Receptacles of most species of Arthrophycus are bisexual, but conceptacles are often unisexual or nearly so. In S. paradoxum thalli are largely unisexual, with some morphological difference between female and male receptacles, but intermediates do occur.
References:
AGARDH, J.G. (1848). Species, Genera et Ordines Algarum. Vol. 1. (Gleerup: Lund.)
GRUNOW, A. (1915). Additamenta ad cognitionem Sargassorum. Verh. Zool. -Bot. Wien 65, 329–448.
GRUNOW, A. (1916). Additamenta ad cognitionem Sargassorum. Verh. Zool. -Bot. Gesell. Wien 66, 136–185.
The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia Part II complete list of references.
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
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