Mastigocladus Cohn ex O.Kirchner, 1898
Holotype species: Mastigocladus laminosus Cohn ex Kirchner
Original publication and holotype designation: Kirchner, O. (1898). Schizophyta: Schizophyceae. In: Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien. (Engler, A. & Prantl, K. Eds) Vol. 1(1), pp. 45-92, figures 48-62. Leipzig: Wilhelm Engelmann.
Request PDFDescription: Thallose; thallus in a form of soft, spongy mats, sometimes with small lime crystals, smooth or gelatinous at the surface, to compact, occasionally layered, dirty blue-green or olive-green, composed of more or less densely tangled filaments. Trichomes uniseriate, irregularly coiled, with thin, distinct, colorless sheaths, diffluent in old stages; true branching of T- or reverse Y-type, often unilateral, in some stages branching is rare or almost absent; branches usually continually tapering to the ends. False branching also facultatively present, but not common. Heterocytes intercalary, solitary or (rarely) in pairs. Akinetes very rare, solitary in old parts of trichomes. Cells divide crosswise or lengthwise before branching. Reproduction by hormogonia or by dissociation of trichomes. The type species, M. laminosus, is a typical obligate thermophilic species occurring in thermal springs throughout the world (including Antarctica). However, it is very probably dependent on a special set of environmental conditions (temp. 45-60° C, pH >7.5, aerobic, low salinity), and all other records, particularly from cold water belong evidently to other species. Also the very wide variability, ascribed to M. laminosus, concern probably in some cases a mixture of genotypic different prokaryotes. Other species need revision.
Information contributed by: J. Komárek. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2023-03-06 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 masculine.
Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Strunecký, O., Ivanova, A.P. & Mares, J. (2022 '2023'). An updated classification of cyanobacterial orders and families based on phylogenomic and polyphasic analysis (Review). Journal of Phycology 59(1): 12-51.
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Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera,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=43585
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 06 March 2023. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 19 December 2024
