Electronic Flora of South Australia Species Fact Sheet

Herposiphonia monilifera (Hooker & Harvey) Falkenberg 1901: 315.

Phylum Rhodophyta – Family Rhodomelaceae – Tribe Herposiphonieae

Selected citations: De Toni 1903: 1056.

Synonyms

Guiler 1952: 106. Lucas 1909: 44; 1929a: 23. Shepherd & Womersley 1971: 166.

Polysiphonia monilifera Hooker & Harvey 1847: 399. J. Agardh 1863: 927. Harvey 1847: 49, pl. 16; 1859b: 301; 1863, synop.: xxi. Kützing 1849: 812. Sonder 1880: 35.

Thallus (Fig. 130A) medium red-brown, slender, largely erect, 2–8 cm high, with determinate laterals pectinately arranged, 3 between the indeterminate branches, basal prostrate axes attached by rhizoids; epiphytic, especially on Posidonia. Structure. Apices more-or-less unilaterally branched, apical cells hemispherical, 10–15 µm in diameter. Pericentral cells 10–12 in axes, 8–10 in determinate laterals, axes 160–300 µm in diameter with segments L/D 0.8–1.2, determinate laterals 1–2 mm long, 50–110 µm in diameter and tapering gently, with segments L/D 1–1.6. Trichoblasts (juvenile) present on determinate laterals, 0.5–1 mm long, basal cells 10–12 µm in diameter. Rhizoids cut off from pericentral cells, unicellular with digitate haptera. Cells probably multinucleate; rhodoplasts discoid.

Reproduction: Gametophytes unknown.

Tetrasporangia (Fig. 130B) in prominent moniliform series of 2–8 in determinate laterals, 90–140 µm in diameter and swelling the diameter of the lateral to 130–180 µm.

Type from Tas. (Gunn), probably near Georgetown.

Selected specimens: Middleton Beach, Albany, W. Aust., drift (Wood, 10.x.1960; AD, A24574). Redbanks, Kangaroo I., S. Aust., drift (Womersley, 25.viii.1950; AD, A15331). Werribee Sewage Farm, Port Phillip, Vic., drift (Kraft, 17.xi.1993; MELU, K9623).

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

Distribution: Albany, W. Aust. to N Tasmania, but apparently rare.

Taxonomic notes: This little-known species needs further study. It is apparently distinguished by its slender habit and pectinate branching and segment dimensions, with moniliform rows of tetrasporangia. The above description is based largely on AD, A24574.

References:

AGARDH, J.G. (1863). Species Genera et Ordines Algarum. Vol. 2, Part 3, pp. 787–1291. (Gleerup: Lund.)

DE TONI, G.B. (1903). Sylloge Algarum omnium hucusque Cognitarum. Vol. 4. Florideae. Sect. 3. pp. 775–1521 + 1523–1525. (Padua.)

FALKENBERG, P. (1901). Die Rhodomelaceen des Golfes von Neapel und der angrenzenden Meeres-abschnitte. Fauna und Flora des Golfes von Neapel. Monogr. 26. (Friedländer: Berlin.)

GUILER, E.R. (1952). The marine algae of Tasmania. Checklist with localities. Pap. Proc. R. Soc. Tasmania 86, 71–106.

HARVEY, W.H. (1847). Nereis Australis, pp. 1–69, Plates 1–25. (Reeve: London.)

HARVEY, W.H. (1859b). Algae. In Hooker, J.D., The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage. III. Flora Tasmaniae. Vol. II, pp. 282–343, Plates 185–196. (Reeve: London.)

HARVEY, W.H. (1863). Phycologia Australica. Vol. 5, Plates 241–300, synop., pp. i-lxxiii. (Reeve: London.)

HOOKER, J.D. & HARVEY, W.H. (1847). Algae Tasmanicae. Lond. J. Bot. 6, 397–417.

KÜTZING, F.T. (1849). Species Algarum. (Leipzig.)

LUCAS, A.H.S. (1909). Revised list of the Fucoideae and Florideae of Australia. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 34, 9–60.

LUCAS, A.H.S. (1929a). The marine algae of Tasmania. Pap. Proc. R. Soc. Tasm. 1928, 6–27.

SHEPHERD, S.A. & WOMERSLEY, H.B.S. (1971). Pearson Island Expedition 1969.-7. The subtidal ecology of benthic algae. Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust. 95(3), 155–167.

SONDER, O.W. (1880). In Mueller, F., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. Supplementum ad volumen undecinum: Algae Australianae hactenus cognitae, pp. 1–42, 105–107. (Melbourne.)

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. 130A, B.

Figure 130   enlarge

Fig. 130. A, B. Herposiphonia monilifera (A, AD, A15331; B, AD, A24574). A. Habit, on Posidonia. B. Determinate laterals with tetrasporangia. C–E. Herposiphonia pectinella (AD, A34114). C. Habit. D. Branches with a juvenile cystocarp. E. A mature, damaged, cystocarp.

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