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Tribe SPHONDYLOTHAMNIEAE Feldmann-Mazoyer 1941: 240

Phylum Rhodophyta – Order Ceramiales – Family Ceramiaceae

Thallus usually 5–20 cm high, much branched radially or distichously, axial cells with 2 to 5 whorl-branchlets, clearly separated on the indeterminate branches; indeterminate laterals formed directly on axial cells; cortication when present by descending rhizoids from basal cells of whorl-branchlets or from lower ends of axial cells; gland cells absent. Cells multinucleate.

Reproduction: Gametophytes dioecious. Procarps on the subapical cell of the female axis, enclosed in a gelatinous sheath together with associated sterile cells, with 1 or 2 auxiliary cells per procarp; fusion cell involving lower gonimoblast cells and usually (except Drewiana) the subapical cell of the female axis; carposporangia terminal; sterile cells associated with the procarp dividing post-fertilization to form an inner involucrum surrounded by an outer involucrum of branchlets from lower cells of the fertile axis. Spermatangia formed in compact globular heads on cells of the whorl-branchlets.

Meiosporangia formed on cells of the whorl-branchlets, tetrahedrally or polyhedrally divided.

Life history triphasic with isomorphic gametophytes and tetrasporophytes.

Taxonomic notes: The tribe Sphondylothamnieae includes some 8 genera, 5 from southern Australia and Sphondylothamnion Naegeli, and probably Vickersia Karsakoff and Diplothamnion Joly & Yamaguishi in Joly et al. (1966, p. 169) from the Northern Hemisphere and Brazil. The tribe is characterised by the habit of clearly separated whorl-branchlets, indeterminate laterals from axial cells, and procarps restricted to the subapical cell of axes, terminal carposporangia, and an inner involucrum of branchlets from sterile cells associated with the procarp.

The tribe was described in detail by Gordon (1972), on which this account is largely based

References:

FELDMANN-MAZOYER, G. (1941). Recherches sur les Céramiacées de la Méditerranée occidentale. (Algiers.)

GORDON, E.M. (1972). Comparative morphology and taxonomy of the Wrangelieae, Sphondylothamnieae and Spermothamnieae (Ceramiaceae, Rhodophyta). Aust. J. Bot. suppl. 4, 1–180.

JOLY, A.B., CORDEIRO, M., YAMAGUISHI, N. & UGADIM, Y. (1966). New marine algae from southern Brasil. Rickia 2, 159–181, Plates 1–6.

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
©State Herbarium of South Australia, Government of South Australia

KEY TO GENERA OF SPHONDYLOTHAMNIEAE

1. Female axis 3 cells long, subapical cell with 2 pericentral cells; polysporangia present, with about 32 spores; corticating rhizoids often anastomosing by secondary pit-connections

INVOLUCRANA

1. Female axis more than 3 cells long, subapical cell with 3 pericentral cells; tetrasporangia present with 4 (rarely 8) spores; corticating rhizoids when present not anastomosing (except in Drewiana)

2

2. Haptera without a terminal digitate disc

DREWIANA

2. Haptera with a terminal digitate disc, on corticating rhizoids, holdfast cells or prostrate axes

3

3. Indeterminate branches formed on axial cells in addition to whorl-branchlets; terminal cells of whorl-branchlets short and mucronate

WOLLASTONIELL A

3. Indeterminate branches formed on axial cells in positions of (and replacing) whorl-branchlets; terminal cells of whorl-branchlets elongate, obtuse or tapering

4

4. Auxiliary cells 2 per procarp, fusion cell furcate and involving the hypogenous cell; whorl-branchlets distichous or orthostichous (when 4 per axial cell)

SHEPLEYA

4. Auxiliary cell 1 per procarp, fusion cell not involving hypogenous cell, with up to 5 free gonimolobes; whorl-branchlets usually radial on axes or distichous if 2 per axial cell

MEDEIOTHAMNION


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