Home / Rhodophyceae / Macroreds / Gloiosiphonia
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Name derivation:
Gloiosiphonia = L. gloeo: slimy, viscus + siphon: tube, siphon capillaris= capillaris: hair or thread like
Classification:
Gloiosiphonia Carmichael in Berkeley 1833
Morphology:
Macroscopic gametophytic algae are bushy, 20 (5-30) cm tall, dark red, gelatinous, and with several pale axes arising from a gelatinous perenniating encrusting base. Main axes naked below, above bearing many subopposite lateral branches that are irregularly arranged, wide spreading, and with branchlets. Medulla uniaxial and surrounded by longitudinal filaments and whorls of radial filaments forming a compact cortex. Delicate, colorless hairs abundant. algae are monoecious. Tetrasporophytes (“Cruoriopsis ensisae”) are crustose, small, light red, smooth orbicular discs, 1-2 mm in diam., and with a monostromatic basal layer. Tetrasporangia are embedded, irregularly zonate or cruciate, and scattered.
Similar genera:
Habitat:
Gametophytes can be common, uncommon, or sporadic annuals occurring during the spring-summer. Found on scoured rocks or shells, in moderately high energy tide pools to 4 m.
References:
Edelstein, T. 1970. Life history of Gloiosiphonia capillaris (Hudson) Carmichael. Phycologia 9: 55-59. Edelstein, T. and M. Mclachlan. 1971. Further observations on Gloiosiphonia capillaris (Hudson) Carmichael in culture. Phycologia 19: 215-219. Guiry, M.D. and G.M. Guiry 2014. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched on 2 May 2014. Taylor, W. R. 1957. Marine Algae of the Northeastern Coast of North America. Revised edition. Univ. Michigan Press., Ann Arbor, ix + 509 pp.