Acrochaetium Nägeli, 1858
Lectotype species: Acrochaetium secundatum (Lyngbye) Nägeli
Original publication: Nägeli, C. & Cramer, C. (1858). Die Stärkekörner: Morphologische, physiologische, chemisch-physicalische und systematisch-botanische Monographie. Pflanzenphysiologische Untersuchungen. 2. Heft. pp. [i]-x, [1]-623, pls XI-XXVI. Zürich: bei Fredrich Schultness.
Request PDFType designated in: Woelkerling, W.J. (1983). The Audouinella (Acrochaetium-Rhodochorton) complex (Rhodophyta): present perspectives. Phycologia 22: 59-92, 22 figs, 10 tables.
Description: Plants uniseriate filamentous, ecorticate, in general of small dimensions, rarely over 5 mm high. Cells with a single centrally located stellate chloroplast and a central pyrenoid, rarely more than one. Species with known life history with markedly heteromorphic generations; gametophytes with unicellular base and 1-6 erect axes, tetrasporophytes with a septately germinated spore and a multicellular filamentous base producing few to many upright axes. Branching of erect axes in both generations irregular, secund or opposite; unicellular hairs sometimes present. Sexual plants monoecious or dioecious. Spermatangia in small clusters. Carpogonia sessile or pedicellate, distinct carpogonial filament absent. Development of carposporophyte direct. Fertilized carpogonium dividing transversely, sometimes remaining undivided. Carposporophytes small, globose, producing few to several terminal carpospores; sterile involucre absent. Tetrasporangia formed in terminal or lateral positions on erect axes and laterals; sporangia cruciately divided. Asexual reproduction by means of monosporangia occurring in both generations, in many species the only form of propagation known. Emended by J.T. Harper & G.W. Saunders (2002: 470). Now comprises marine spp. [Audouinella comprises freshwater spp.]
Information contributed by: H. Stegenga. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2021-11-26 by M.D. Guiry.
Taxonomic status: This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.
Gender: This genus name is currently treated as neuter.
Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Harper, J.T. & Saunders, G.W. (2002). A re-classification of the Acrochaetiales based on molecular and morphological data, and establishment of the Colaconematales, ord. nov.. British Phycological Journal 37: 463-475.
Comments: Worldwide, almost exclusively marine, most diversified in temperate areas, especially the North Atlantic. Plants often epiphytic on other algae or marine angiosperms, sometimes epizoic, semi-endophytic or semi-endozoic. See Harper & Saunders (2002: 470).
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Contributors
Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera,
organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA)
and intended to be published in CD format.
These AlgaeBase descriptions are now being continually updated, and each current contributor is identified above.
The PSA and AlgaeBase warmly acknowledge the generosity of all past and present contributors and particularly the work of Dr Parker.
Descriptions of chrysophyte genera were subsequently published in J. Kristiansen & H.R. Preisig (eds.). 2001. Encyclopedia of Chrysophyte Genera. Bibliotheca Phycologica 110: 1-260.
Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/genus/detail/?genus_id=32945
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 26 November 2021. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 23 November 2024
