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Electronic Flora of South Australia Genus Fact Sheet
Phylum Rhodophyta – Family Delesseriaceae
Thallus erect, with an upright terete axis bearing small, concave, ovate blades apparently sympodially developed and, arranged alternately in 2 ranks; attached by small holdfasts, epiphytic. Structure. Apical cell of blades segmenting to give an axial filament with 4 pericentral cells, 2 lateral ones and later 2 transverse ones, with the lateral pericentral cells forming second-order cell rows each cell of which forms third-order rows abaxially, but only the outer few third-order rows reaching the blade margin; end cells of the third-order rows elongate when young, isodiametric on maturity. Cortication of blades with up to 3 layers of cells, cortication of axis by small cells.
Reproduction: Gametophytes unknown.
Tetrasporangial sori on the concave blades, tetrasporangia cut off from second-order row cells in a single layer, covered by a 2–3-celled cortex.
Type (and only) species: S. reinboldii Shepley & Womersley 1960: 386.
Taxonomic notes: A monospecific genus, apparently very rare and in need of further investigation.
References:
SHEPLEY, E.A. & WOMERSLEY, H.B.S. (1960). Sympodophyllum, a new genus of Delesseriaceae (Rhodophyta) from South Australia. Nova Hedwigia 1, 383–388, Plate 76.
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.
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