Electronic Flora of South Australia Genus Fact Sheet

Genus Delesseria

Phylum Rhodophyta – Family Delesseriaceae

Synonym

Delesseria crassinervia Montagne 1842b: 3; 1845: 164, pl. 8 fig. 1. Adams 1994: 279, pl. 98 lower left. Harvey 1959b: 311. Harvey & Hooker 1845: 184. Hooker & Harvey 1847: 403. Kylin 1929: 7, pl. 2 fig. 6. Papenfuss 1964b: 51. Sonder 1880: 105.

Taxonomic notes: These species are of uncertain status.

Recorded from Sullivan Cove, Tas. (Lyall) by Harvey (1859b, p. 311), repeated by Sonder (1880, p. 105). Lyall's specimen was not found in TCD in 1952, but may be in the BM ("No. 135, V.D. Land. Dr Lyall"). Also a specimen (Fig. 69A) from "Kangaroo Point, Tasmania, 1856, ex coll. Mrs C. Eardley Wilmot," (previously identified as Delesseria dendroides, more recently as Delesseria crassinervia by Ann Mitchell), presented to Herb. Kew (now in BM), photo in AD, A48823, appears to be this species, agreeing in habit and thallus structure with a specimen from Ringa Ringa, Stewart I., N.Z., drift (Womersley, 4.i.1966; AD, A29801). The Kangaroo Point specimen shows branching from the midrib for several orders, apical and lateral row development (Fig. 69B, C) typical of Delesseria, and linear sori of tetrasporangia (Fig. 69D) alongside the midrib.

Either this is a very rare or extinct species in Tasmania, or very occasional drift specimens reach here from New Zealand; the latter appears unlikely in view of the distance and the delicate nature of the species.

* Species of uncertain status.

This species is uncertain, based on inadequately known material, lack of the type specimen, or an isolated record.

References:

ADAMS, N.M. (1994). Seaweeds of New Zealand. (Cant. Univ. Press: Christchurch.)

HARVEY, W.H. & HOOKER, J.D. (1845). The botany of the Antarctic Voyage of H.M. Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror in the years 1839–1843. I. Flora Antarctica. Part 1. Algae, pp. 175–193, Plates 69–78.

HARVEY, W.H. (1859b). Algae. In Hooker, J.D., The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage. III. Flora Tasmaniae. Vol. II, pp. 282–343, Plates 185–196. (Reeve: London.)

HOOKER, J.D. & HARVEY, W.H. (1847). Algae Tasmanicae. Lond. J. Bot. 6, 397–417.

KYLIN, H. (1929). Die Delesseriaceen Neu-seelands. Lunds Univ. Årsskr. N.F. Avd. 2, 25(2), 1–15, Plates 1–12.

MONTAGNE, C. (1842b). Prodromus Generum Specierumque Phycearum Novarum in Itinere ad Polum Antarcticum. (Paris.)

MONTAGNE, C. (1845). Voyage au Pôle Sud et dans l'Océanie sur les Corvettes l'Astrolabe et la Zélèe. Botanique, T I. Plantes cellulaires. (Plates 1–20 dated 1852.) (Sirou: Paris.)

PAPENFUSS, G.F. (1964b). Catalogue and bibliography of antarctic and subantarctic benthic marine algae. Am. geophys. Un. Antarctic Res. Ser., Vol. 1, pp. 1–76.

SONDER, O.W. (1880). In Mueller, F., Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae. Supplementum ad volumen undecinum: Algae Australianae hactenus cognitae, pp. 1–42, 105–107. (Melbourne.)

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

Author: H. B. S. Womersley

Publication: Womersley, H.B.S. (24 February, 2003)
The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia
Rhodophyta. Part IIID. Ceramiales – Delesseriaceae, Sarcomeniaceae, Rhodomelaceae
Reproduced with permission from The Marine Benthic Flora of Southern Australia Part IIID 2003, by H.B.S. Womersley. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. Copyright Commonwealth of Australia.

Illustration in Womersley Part IIIA, 2003: FIG. 69 A–D Type from the Auckland Islands (D 'Urville).

Figure 69   enlarge

Fig. 69. A–D. Delesseria crassinervia (AD, A48823). A. Habit. B. Apical segmentation. C. Mature margin and blade. D. Blade with tetrasporangia (all from dried material). E, F. Acrosorium minus (Type, MEL, 603107). E. Fragments in type folder. F. Surface view of frond with veins.

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