Seaweeds of the South African South Coast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Order Siphonocladales

Family Valoniaceae

Valonia C. Agardh

Thallus of large, siphonous, subclavate to elongate cells forming cushions of indeterminate size; lacking stipes. Branching from lenticular cells, cross-walls only at branching points. Attachment by basal cells, well-developed rhizoidal system lacking. Cells multinucleate, with many discoid chloroplasts per cell, each with one pyrenoid. Members of this genus widely distributed in the tropics. Ten species currently recognized (Guiry & Guiry, 2012), of which two are found on the south coast.

 

Key to species

1a. Diameter of cells 1-3 mm	V. aegagropila
1b. Diameter of cells more than 3 mm (up to 35 mm)	V. macrophysa

 

References Valonia

Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2012. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched August 2012.

 

Cite this record as:

Anderson RJ, Stegenga H, Bolton JJ. 2016. Seaweeds of the South African South Coast.
World Wide Web electronic publication, University of Cape Town, http://southafrseaweeds.uct.ac.za; Accessed on 19 December 2024.