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Electronic Flora of South Australia Genus Fact Sheet

Genus DIAPSE Kylin 1856: 390

Phylum Rhodophyta – Order Ceramiales – Family Ceramiaceae – Tribe Ptiloteae

Thallus erect, pinnate, complanately and distichously branched for 4 or 5 orders, laterals more or less opposite, densely corticated from close to apices by closely appressed filaments, branches compressed; holdfast conical, rhizoidal. Structure. Apical filaments with slightly oblique cross walls, oppositely branched with laterals on alternate sides developing further. Cortex developed from axial and lateral filaments, becoming several cells thick, outer cells isodiametric and small. Cells uninucleate.

Reproduction: Reproductive bodies borne on cells of short dense tufts on margins of branches, filaments of tufts ecorticate and alternately branched. Carpogonial branches situated on subapical cells of the tufts, 4-celled on a supporting cell. Carposporophytes terminal on short lateral branches, with compact, surrounding, stout, involucral filaments. Spermatangia unknown.

Tetrasporangia lateral or terminal on cells of the tufts, subspherical to slightly ovoid, decussately to tetrahedrally divided.

Life history triphasic with isomorphic gametophytes and tetrasporophytes.

Type species: D. ptilota (Hooker & Harvey) Kylin 1956: 390.

Taxonomic notes: A monospecific genus characterised by the opposite laterals, alternately more strongly developed, and cortication from very close to the apices.

References:

KYLIN, H. (1956). Die Gattungen der Rhodophyceen. (Gleerups: Lund.)

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

Author: H.B.S. Womersley

Publication: Womersley, H.B.S. (24 December, 1998)
The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia
Rhodophyta. Part IIIC. Ceramiales – Ceramiaceae, Dasyaceae
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