About
Contact
Links
Electronic Flora of South Australia
Electronic Flora of South Australia
Census of SA Plants, Algae & Fungi
Identification tools
 

Electronic Flora of South Australia Genus Fact Sheet

Genus DICTYOSPHAERIA Decaisne 1842a:328

Phylum Chlorophyta – Order Siphonocladales – Family Valoniaceae

Thallus a parenchymatous cushion, remaining globose and solid or hollow, or opening out to an irregular membrane of large cells somewhat variable in size, with small hapteroid lenticular cells joining adjacent large cells. Cells formed by segregative division, maturing endogenously.

Life history with isomorphic generations, the sporophyte producing quadriflagellate zoospores, and male and female gametophytes producing biflagellate isogametes which also develop parthenogenetically (Enomoto & Okuda 1981).

Type species: D. cavernosa (Forskal) Boergesen.

Taxonomic notes: Dietyosphaeria is a well defined genus of about 12 species, largely tropical-subtropical in distribution. The type species has been studied in detail by Enomoto & Okuda (1981) and Enomoto, Hori & Okuda (1982). A single species is widespread on southern Australian coasts.

References:

DECAISNE, J. (1842a). Essais sur une classification des Algues et des Polypiers Calciferes de Lamouroux. Annls Sci. nat. (Bot.) ser. 2, 17, 297–380, Plates 14–17.

ENOMOTO, S. & OKUDA, K. (1981). Culture studies of Dictyosphaeria (Chlorophyceae, Siphonocladales). I. Life history and morphogenesis of Dictyosphaeria cavernosa. Jap. J. Phycol. 29, 225–236.

ENOMOTO, S., HORI, T. & OKUDA, K. (1982). Culture studies of Dictyosphaeria (Chlorophyceae, Siphonocladales). II. Morphological analysis of segregative cell division in Dictyosphaeria cavernosa. Jap. J. Phycol. 30, 103–112.

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


Disclaimer Copyright Disclaimer Copyright Email Contact:
State Herbarium of South Australia
Government of South Australia Government of South Australia Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Water