Electronic Flora of South Australia Species Fact Sheet

Blidingia minima (Naegeli ex Kützing) Kylin 1947: 181.

Phylum Chlorophyta – Order Ulvales – Family Ulvaceae

Selected citations: Abbott & Hollenberg 1976: 72, fig. 24. Bliding 1963: 23, fig. 7. Dangeard 1961: 193, figs 1,2, pls IA, IIC, D, III A-I, N-P. Scagel 1966: 42, pl. 21C–E. Womersley 1956: 350.

Synonym

Enteromorpha nana (Sommerfelt) Bliding. Chapman 1956: 412, figs 57–61.

Thallus (Fig. 42D) pale to medium green, usually on rock in the mid or upper eulittoral, 0.5–5 cm high and 200–1 000 µm broad, simple or proliferous from near the base, arising from a multicellular pad-like holdfast of cells (Fig. 43I) which often become elongate but not rhizoidal. Cells irregularly arranged throughout the thallus, angular to rounded and isodiametric, 5–8 µm across (Fig. 43H). Chloroplast filling most of the cell and often slightly stellate, with a single central, prominent pyrenoid.

Reproduction: Reproduction by quadriflagellate zoo(mito)spores (Bliding 1963, p. 24).

Type from Helgoland, Germany; in L (938.69...168).

Selected specimens: Proper Bay, Port Lincoln, S. Aust., mid eulittoral on rocks (Womersley, 21.viii.1967; ADU, A31811). American River inlet, Kangaroo 1., S. Aust., mid eulittoral on jetty steps (Womersley, 17.viii.1948; ADU, A8540). Port MacDonnell, S. Aust., mid eulittoral on inside of breakwater (Womersley, 5.vi.1982; ADU, A53181).

Distribution map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of SA

Distribution: Widely distributed in temperate regions, usually in the mid eulittoral.

Taxonomic notes: In southern Australia from Proper Bay, Port Lincoln, S. Aust. to Botany Bay, N.S.W., on solid substrate in calm situations; probably more widespread.

Blidingia minima grows at the highest intertidal level of any of the enteromorphoid algae and is apparently confined to winter months.

References:

ABBOTT, I.A. & HOLLENBERG, G.J. (1976). Marine Algae of California. (Stanford Univ. Press: Stanford.)

BLIDING, C. (1963). A critical survey of European taxa in Ulvales. Part I. Capsosiphon, Percursaria, Blidingia, Enteromorpha. Opera Bot. 8(3), 1–160.

CHAPMAN, V.J. (1956). The marine algae of New Zealand. Part I. Myxophyceae and Chlorophyceae. J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 55 (360), 333–501, Plates 24–50.

DANGEARD, P. (1961). Quelques particularites du genre Blidingia. Le Botaniste 44, 193–208.

KYLIN, H. (1947). Über die Fortpflanzungsverhältnisse in der Ordnung Ulvales. K. Fys. Sällsk. Lund. Forh. 17, 174–182.

SCAGEL, R.F. (1966). Marine algae of British Columbia and Northern Washington, Part I: Chlorophyceae (Green Algae). Natl Mus. Can. Bull. 207, i-viii, 1–257.

WOMERSLEY, H.B.S. (1956). A critical survey of the marine algae of southern Australia. I. Chlorophyta. Aust. J. mar. freshw. Res. 7, 343–383.

The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia Part I complete list of references.

Author: H.B.S. Womersley

Publication: Womersley, H.B.S. (31 May, 1984)
The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia
Part I
©Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, Government of South Australia

Illustrations in Womersley Part I, 1984: FIGS 42D, 43H, I.

Figure 42   enlarge

Fig. 42. A. Percursaria percursa (ADU, A52661). B. Ulvaria oxysperma (ADU, A31812). C. Ulvaria shepherdii (ADU, A33006). D. Blidingia minima (ADU, A31811). E. Blidingia marginata (ADU, A21065).

Figure 43   enlarge

Fig. 43. A,B. Percursaria percursa (ADU, A52661). A. Biseriate filament, face view. B. Side view of filament. C,D. Ulvaria oxysperma (ADU, A31874). C. Cells near thallus margin. D. Lower part of thallus with cells developing attachment rhizoids. E–G. Ulvaria shepherdii (ADU, A33006). E. Cells in upper thallus. F. Lower cells with rhizoids. G. Cross section of thallus near base, with rhizoid producing cells. H,I. Blidingia minima (ADU, A53181). H. Cells in upper thallus. I. Base of thallus. J,K. Blidingia marginata (ADU, A52990). J. Cells in upper thallus. K. Base of thallus.

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