Seaweeds of the South African South Coast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Order Ceramiales

Family Delesseriaceae

Bartoniella crenata Kylin 1924: 11

Plants erect, bright red, complanate, up to 8 (-12) cm tall. Fronds ribbon-like, 1.5-3 (-4) mm wide, with unevenly serrated edges, irregularly constricted, with distinct midrib in proximal regions, but no lateral veins, branched from edges and midrib (especially when fertile). Growth from prominent apical cell, producing axial filaments with 4 pericentral cells; lateral pericentrals giving rise to secondary and tertiary cell rows that reach thallus margin; central cell row and lateral pericentrals without intercalary divisions; thallus corticated towards base; central cell row and pericentrals clearly visible in cross-sections, surrounded by small cells in polystromatic parts of thallus. Reproductive structures on small leaflets arising from midrib or blade margins; tetrasporangia and spermatangia in paired oval sori on either side of midrib; cystocarps hemispherical, on midrib.

Collections, ecology and regional distribution

Found from Muizenberg (Stegenga et al. 1997) along south coast to Mission Rocks in northern KwaZulu-Natal (De Clerck et al. 2005) (17-57). Subtidal, attached to rock down to at least 35 m.

World distribution: although considered to be a South African endemic, this species was recorded once from Kenya (De Clerck et al. 2005).

Type locality: Kowie (Port Alfred) (De Clerck et al. 2005).

Note: this species is described in detail by Wagner (1954).

 

Bartoniella crenata, Kenton-on –Sea.

Bartoniella crenata, branches arising from margins and midrib.

Bartoniella crenata, tetrasporic marginal branch.

Bartoniella crenata, frond apex.

Bartoniella crenata, cross section through midrib area of blade.

Bartoniella crenata. 1. Detail of thallus with tetrasporiferous proliferations. 2. Thallus apex. 3. Cross section of blade (cc – central cell). Reproduced from Stegenga et al. (1997).

 

References Bartoniella

Bolton J.J. and H. Stegenga 1987. The marine algae of Hluleka (Transkei) and the warm temperate / sub-tropical transition on the east coast of southern Africa. Helgolander Meeresuntersuchungen 41: 165-183.

De Clerck, O, Tronchin, E. M., Schils, T. 2005. Red algae. In: De Clerck, O., J.J.Bolton, R. J. Anderson and E. Coppejans, 2005. Guide to the Seaweeds of Kwazulu-Natal. National Botanic Garden of Belgium, Brussels (Scripta Botanica Belgica), pp. 130-269.

Kylin H. 1924. Studien über Delesseriaceeen. Lunds Universitets Årsskrift, N.F. Avd 2, 20 (6): 1-111.

Stegenga, H., Bolton, J.J. & R. J. Anderson. 1997. Seaweeds of the South African west coast. Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium 18: 655 pp.

 

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.