Seaweeds of the South African South Coast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Order Gigartinales

Family Rhizophyllidaceae

Genus Portieria

Plants to about 20 cm tall, recumbent to erect, comprising compressed or flattened branches with inrolled apices. Branching irregular, bi- or tri-pinnate. Structure uniaxial, axial cell conspicuous; medulla psudoparenchymatous, comprising large cells, surrounded by cortex of smaller cells in anticlinal filaments. Reproductive structures in nemathecia on terminal branches. Seven species are currently recognized worldwide (Guiry & Guiry 2013) of which two are recorded from the south coast. However, recent molecular studies indicate many cryptic species in this genus worldwide (pers. comm., Olivier De Clerck).

Key to the species

1a. Plants up to 20 cm tall, branches 1-3 mm wide in mid-thallus	P. hornemannii
1b. Plants up to 5 cm tall, branches 0.5-1.0 mm wide in mid-thallus	P. tripinnata

 

References Portieria

Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2013. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched on 20 May 2013.

 

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 18 November 2024.