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Two amphi-Atlantic species of Botryocladia (Rhodymeniales, Rhodophyta) in the Canary Islands (Eastern Atlantic)

Julio AFONSO-CARRILLO & Cristina SOBRINO

en Cryptogamie, Algologie 25 (2) - Pages 147-159

Published on 28 May 2004

The morphology of the western Atlantic Botryocladia shanksii E. Y. Dawson and B. pyriformis (Børgesen) Kylin are examined in material collected in the Canary Islands, confirming the amphi-Atlantic distribution of both species. Botryocladia shanksii, which was found growing in the lower eulittoral, is reported for the first time in the eastern Atlantic, and the origin and disposition of tetrasporangia is documented.Tetrasporangia are derived from inner intercalary cortical cells and are scattered throughout the cortex in the subsurface cortical layer. The occurrence of B. pyriformis in the eastern Atlantic is confirmed by an examination of deep-water plants from the Canaries that are in agreement with the original description of Chrysymenia pyriformis Børgesen. Cystocarp structure is described in detail for the first time. Cystocarps are largely immersed in the vesicle with compact lobed gonimoblasts composed entirely of angular carposporangia.The distribution of Botryocladia species in the Atlantic Ocean is given.


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