Seaweeds of the South African South Coast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Order Ceramiales

Family Rhodomelaceae

Pterosiphonia stegengae Savoie & G.W.Saunders 2016: 926, fig. 5

Plants dark red, compressed, erect axes bi-or tripinnately branched; laterals alternate, arising at intervals of ca. 3 segments. Axis up to 1 mm wide, 250 µm thick, laterals confluent with main axes for 6-8 segments; ultimate branches broadly triangular. Segments with five pericentral cells and incomplete cortication about one cell layer thick.

Tetrasporangia developing in straight series in short branches near apices of thallus (Savoie & Saunders 2016). Other reproductive structures not seen.

Collections, ecology and regional distribution

Recorded from Cape Hangklip (Jackelman et al. 1991) to East London (19-41).

Worldwide distribution: South African endemic.

Type locality: “Preekstoel, Stilbaai, Western Cape, South Africa." (Savoie & Saunders 2016).

 

Pterosiphonia stegengae (Bird Island, Algoa Bay).

Pterosiphonia stegengae (Bird Island), structure.

Pterosiphonia stegengae (Bird Island), structure of young branch.

Pterosiphonia stegengae. 1. Thallus apex. 2. Cross section. Reproduced from Stegenga et al. (1997: Plate 239, Figs 3-3, as Pterosiphonia sp.)

 

References Pterosiphonia stegengae

Jackelmann, J.J., Stegenga, H.S. & Bolton, J.J. 1991. The marine benthic flora of the Cape Hangklip area and its phytogeographical affinities. South African Journal of Botany 57: 295-304, 4 figs, 1 table.

Savoie, A.M. & Saunders, G.W. (2016). A molecular phylogenetic and DNA barcode assessment of the tribe Pterosiphonieae (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) emphasizing the Northeast Pacific. Botany 94: 917-939, 8 figs.

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 25 April 2024.