Studies of marine algae in the lesser-known families of the Gigartinales (Rhodophyta). III. The Mychodeaceae and Mychodeophyllaceae

Abstract

The endemic Australian red algal families Mychodeaceae Kylin and Mychodeophyllaceae fam. nov. are described and characterized in vegetative and reproductive detail. The Mychodeaceae is composed of the single genus Mychodea and 11 species which are distinguished on habit features and vegetative differences. Plants are uniaxial with a distinctive pattern of axial development, monoecious, zonately tetrasporangiate, procarpic and polycarpogonial. Supporting cells of carpogonial branches function as auxiliary cells which remain unfused to adjacent cells after diploidization and emit numerous gonimoblast filaments towards the centre of the thallus. The gonimoblasts become secondarily pitconnected to gametophytic cells which they lie next to and eventually appear to break up into isolated groups of cells which both initiate additional carposporangial precursors and enlarge directly into carposporangia themselves. Carposporangial initials can form secondary pit-connections to any type of adjacent cell, which results in irregularly branched carposporangial clusters whose cells are frequently attached to sterile gametophytic cells within and around the periphery of the cystocarp. Mature cystocarps consist of a non-ostiolate pericarp and pockets of carposporangia isolated between persistent sterile cells throughout the fertile region. The genera Neurophyllis Zanardini and Ectoclinium J. Agardh are placed in synonymy with Mychodea, and all extra-Australian records of the group are discounted or questioned.

A new family, the Mychodeophyllaceae, is created for Mychodeophyllum papillitectum gen. et sp. nov. from Western Australia. Mychodeophyllum shares spermatangial and tetrasporangial features with Mychodea, as well as sexual elements such as polycarpogonial procarps, lack of a fusion cell, and multiple, inwardly growing gonimoblast initials. Gonimoblast filaments develop quite differently from Mychodea, however, and carposporangia form radiating chains around the periphery of a central placenta composed of mixed and secondarily connected gonimoblast and gametophytic filaments. Plants of the genus are also apparently rnultiaxial.

The Mychodeaceae and Mychodeophyllaceae appear to be highly specialized in vegetative and carposporophyte structure, and have given rise to no known higher lines of development. It is speculated that both families may represent offshoots from ancestors at a level of carposporophyte complexit) represented by present-day Rhabdoniaceae, Solieriaceae and Rhodophyllidaceae.