Champia stipitata Huisman
Marine Plants of Australia 131, 285-286 (2000)
Conservation Code:
Not threatened
Naturalised Status: Native to Western Australia
Name Status:
Current
Scientific Description
John Huisman & Cheryl Parker,
Monday 20 June 2011
Habit and structure. Thallus erect, occasionally decumbent, to 5 cm tall, red, with numerous percurrent primary axes arising from a cartilaginous stipe. Branching subopposite to sparse. Axes terete, narrow near the base, broadening to 3.0–3.5 mm in diameter near the apex, segmented with slight to moderate constrictions 1.0–2.5 mm apart. Structure multiaxial, hollow; outer cellular layer composed of 1 or 2 inner layers of large colourless cells (70–110 × 50–80 µm in surface view), when mature with slightly to highly pigmented surface cells borne in the interstitial spaces. Inner surface lined with longitudinal filaments bearing lateral gland cells 15–25 µm in diameter. Longitudinal filaments with 4 complete cells and 2 part cells per segment. Diaphragms 1 cell thick.
Reproduction. Cystocarps protuberant, hemispherical, 500–800 µm in diameter. Tetrasporangia intercalary in an unmodified cortex, 40–50 × 30–40 µm, tetrahedrally divided. Spermatangia unknown.
Distribution.
Known from
Habitat. Generally epilithic in the lower intertidal and subtidal.
