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Tribe WRANGELIEAE Schmitz 1889: 439

Phylum Rhodophyta – Order Ceramiales – Family Ceramiaceae

Thallus much branched radially or distichously, axial cells with 5 (rarely fewer) periaxi al whorl-branchlets which are determinate and much branched irregularly; indeterminate laterals arising on basal cells of whorl-branchlets; cortication moderate to dense, by descending rhizoids from basal cells of whorl-branchlets; apical cells dividing by alternately slightly oblique divisions; gland cells absent; cells uninucleate.

Reproduction: Gametophytes dioecious. Procarpic, supporting cells each with a 4-celled carpogonial branch, borne on successive axial cells near the apices of indeterminate branches, with a connecting cell transferring the diploid nucleus to the auxiliary cell, then forming a large fusion cell by union of lower gonimoblast cells, fertile axial cell and lower cells of sterile whorl-branchlets; gonimoblast branched, with the end cells forming carposporangia, growing between adjacent whorl-branchlets to form a diffuse carposporophyte. Spermatangia formed as outer cells of compact, subspherical, pedicellate heads on lower cells of whorl-branchlets.

Tetrasporangia on lower cells of whorl-branchlets, scattered, tetrahedrally divided.

Life history triphasic with isomorphic gametophytes and tetrasporophytes.

Taxonomic notes: The Wrangelieae was first listed as a tribe of the Gelidiaceae by Schmitz (1889, p. 439) but is now recognised as a mono-generic tribe of the Ceramiaceae (Kylin 1956, p. 382; Gordon 1972, p. 13). It is distinguished by the presence of 5 whorl-branchlets, the diffuse gonimoblast with intermingled whorl-branchlets, and the compact spermatanigal heads.

This account is based largely on that of Gordon (1972).

References:

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

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

SCHMITZ, F. (1889). Systematische Ubersicht der bisher bekannten Gattungen der Florideen. Flora, Jena 72, 435–456, Plate 21.

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


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