Flabellia Reichenbach, 1841
Holotype species: Conferva flabelliformis Desfontaines
Currently accepted name for the type species: Flabellia petiolata (Turra) Nizamuddin
Original publication and holotype designation: Reichenbach, H.G.L. (1841). Der deutsche Botaniker. Erster Band. Das Herbarienbuch Erklärung des natürlichen Pflanzensystems, systematische Aufzählung, Synonymik und Register der bis jetzt bekannten Pflanzengattungen. pp. 1-240. Dresden & LEipzig: In der Arnoldischen Buchhandlung.
Description: Thallus erect, non-calcified, heteroplastic, to at least 9 cm tall and 6 mm broad; composed of 1) thin, flat, slightly zonate blades, their margins fringed with free siphons, 2) a slender, corticated branched or unbranched stipe to 2 (-5) cm long and 1.5 mm diameter, and 3) a mostly horizontal stolon with fine, branched rhizoids. Blades and stipe constructed either of a single siphon, or more usually of central dichotomously branched siphons which remain free or cohere slightly by means of short, tuberculate lateral branchlets; interlocking lobes of lateral branches form a tight cortex. Fronds are replaced about every 2-6 months from stolons.
Sexual reproduction holocarpic, anisogamous, biflagellated, and dioecious. Reproductive individuals may be recognized by white fringe of blade, which represents a series of papillae through which gametes, which develop in essentially unspecialized siphons of the blade, are discharged. Entire contents of thallus transform into gametes, and thallus dies after discharge (i.e. holocarpic) which occurs in early morning. Earliest development of zygote corresponds to the protosphere of Halimeda. In culture its maximum development was obtained in 5 months; protosphere had a diameter of 60-90 µm, 200-300 chloroplasts, no amyloplasts and a single nucleus. Subsequently, both rhizoidal, and erect, branched heteroplastic siphons developed; the overall appearance resembled the "espera" phase of Penicillus.
The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2022-02-28 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 feminine.
Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Nizamuddin, M. (1987). Observations on the genus Flabellia (Caulerpales, Chlorophyta). Nova Hedwigia 44: 175-188, 21 figs.
Comments: Flabellia is distributed widely in the Mediterranean, and is reported also for Canary and Cape Verde Islands. It grows on rocks in the sublittoral, associated with algae such as Dictyopteris, Dictyota, Dilophus and corallines; in exposed sites it fringes rocky pools in close association with Halimeda tuna and Caulerpa prolifera. It is a common epiphyte at the base of Posidonia and Cystoseira. Vertically it extends at least to -6m.
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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=50744
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 28 February 2022. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 21 November 2024
