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Electronic Flora of South Australia Species Fact Sheet

Chondria infestans (Lucas) Millar 1990: 460, fig. 72A–F, 73A–E.

Phylum Rhodophyta – Family Rhodomelaceae – Tribe Chondrieae

Selected citations: Millar & Kraft 1993: 51. Millar & Wynne 1992c: 428.

Synonyms

Laurencia infestans Lucas 1919: 174, pl. VI. De Toni 1924: 372.

Chondria myriopoda Gordon-Mills & Millar in Gordon-Mills & Womersley 1987: 552, figs 231, J, 24F, 29.

Thallus (Fig. 184A) largely prostrate with axes becoming free and erect by growing past the host apices up to 3.5 cm, axes compressed, 0.8–1 mm broad, bearing alternate lateral branchlets 1–3 mm long from their edges, at first terete but becoming compressed; longer lateral branches occur irregularly and axillary branchlets occur adaxially. Attachment by multicellular haptera (Fig. 184A, B) from the lower surface, 200–400 µm across; epiphytic on larger algae. Structure. Apices rounded to slightly depressed, with 5 pericentral cells and a thin cortex, epidermal cells 20–50 (–80) µm in diameter and L/D (1.5–) 2–4. Trichoblasts at apices, "pigmented" (Millar 1990, p. 460). Cells with discoid rhodoplasts, chained in larger cells.

Reproduction: Gametophytes dioecious. Procarps not observed. Carposporophytes with a basal fusion cell and short branched gonimoblast bearing clavate terminal carposporangia 50–90 µm in diameter. Cystocarps (Fig. 184C) ovoid, sessile and adaxially adnate to the bearing branch, 700–1000 µm in diameter, without a spur; pericarp ostiolate, ecorticate. Spermatangial plates obcordate, with a single row of sterile marginal cells.

Tetrasporangia (Fig. 184D, E) in short, free, swollen, lateral branchlets, on 1–5
pericentral cells per axial cell, 120–200 µm in diameter.

Type from Manly Cove, Port Jackson, N.S.W. on Ecklonia radiata (Lucas, 28.ii.1914); holotype in NSW, 8122.

Selected specimens: Lawrence Rock, Portland, Vic., on Polyopes in rock pools (Beauglehole, 15.i.1960; AD, A24013 and A24795). Gabo I., Vic., on Polyopes, 2–5 m deep (Shepherd, 16.ii.1973; AD, A43368), 3–4 m deep (Shepherd, 19.ii.1973; AD, A43528) and on Phyllospora, 6 m deep (Shepherd, 15.ii.1973; AD, A43365). Arawatta Headland, N.S.W., on Hormosira, low intertidal (Millar 807, 10.i.1981; AD, A55691; MELU). Muttonbird I., Coffs Harbour, N.S.W., on Dictyopteris acrostichoides, 3–5 m deep (Millar, 10.i.1980; MELU, AM239).


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

Distribution: In southern Australia, known from Portland and Gabo I., Victoria. Manly to Coffs Harbour, N.S.W.

Taxonomic notes: Chondria infestans appears to be an eastern Australian species, reaching to Gabo I. in Victoria with an isolated occurrence at Portland in Victoria. In habit it is quite distinctive.

References:

DE TONI, G.B. (1924). Sylloge Algarum omnium hucusque Cognitarum. Vol. 6. Florideae. (Padua.)

GORDON-MILLS, E.M. & WOMERSLEY, H.B.S. (1987). The genus Chondria C. Agardh (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) in southern Australia. Aust. J. Bot. 35, 477–565.

LUCAS, A.H.S. (1919).—Notes on Australian marine algae. II. Descriptions of four new species. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 44, 174–179, Plate 6.

MILLAR, A.J.K. & KRAFT, G.T. (1993). Catalogue of marine and freshwater Red Algae (Rhodophyta) of New South Wales, including Lord Howe Island, South-western Pacific. Aust. Syst. Bot. 6, 1–90.

MILLAR, A.J.K. & WYNNE, M.J. (1992c). Chondria viticulosa sp. nov. (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta), a distinctly flattened species from south-eastern Queensland, Australia. Aust. Syst. Bot. 5, 421–429.

MILLAR, A.J.K. (1990). Marine Red Algae of the Coffs Harbour Region, northern New South Wales. Aust. Syst. Bot. 3, 293–593.

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

Publication: Womersley, H.B.S. (24 February, 2003)
The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia
Rhodophyta. Part IIID. Ceramiales – Delesseriaceae, Sarcomeniaceae, Rhodomelaceae
Reproduced with permission from The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia Part IIID 2003, by H.B.S. Womersley. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. Copyright Commonwealth of Australia.


Illustration in Womersley Part IIIA, 2003: FIG. 184.

Figure 184 image

Figure 184   enlarge

Fig. 184. Chondria infestans (A–C, AD, A24795; D, E, AD, A43368). A. Prostrate axis showing lateral branches and ventral haptera. B. As for A, enlarged view. C. Cystocarp. D. Branch with tetrasporangial laterals. E. Branches with terminal tetrasporangia.


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