Seaweeds of the South African South Coast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Order Erythropeltidales

Family Erythrotrichiaceae

Genus Erythrotrichia Areschoug 1850: 435

Thalli filamentous, unbranched or sparingly branched proximally; uniseriate proximally, distally either becoming multiseriate or forming monostromatic blades. Attached by basal cells, sometimes with rhizoidal outgrowths that penetrate the host. Early growth may be apical but becomes diffuse or intercalary. Chloroplast stellate, central, with single pyrenoid. Asexual reproduction via monospores. Sexual plants monoecious, also producing monospores.

The distributions of southern African Erythrotrichia species are discussed by Stegenga et al (2001).

Key to south coast species

1 a Mature plants foliaceaous, up to 3 mm wide	Erythrotrichia platyphylla
1 b Mature plants filamentous, less than 50 µm wide	2
2 a Thallus of single unbranched filament (uniseriate basally becoming multiseriate) arising from basal disc	Erythrotrichia bertholdii
2 b Thallus of branched uniseriate filament without basal disc	Erythrotrichia welwitschii

 

References Erythrotrichia

Areschoug, J.E. (1850). Phycearum, quaie in maribus Scandainaviae crescent, enumeratio. Sectio posterior Ulvaceas continen. Nova Acta regiae Societas Scientiarum Upsaliensis 14: 385-454, 3 pls.

Stegenga, H., Engledow, H.R., Bolton, J.J. & Anderson, R.J. (2001). The distribution of the family Erythropeltidaceae (Rhodophyta) along the temperate Southern African coast, with the description of Erythrotrichia platyphylla nov. spec. Nova Hedwigia 73(3-4): 367-379.

 

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 23 April 2024.