Gloiotrichus fractalis Huisman & Kraft
European Journal of Phycology 74-76, figs 1-17 (1994)
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 to 17 cm high, pink to deep red, mucilaginous, with several percurrent axes and lateral branches from all sides, often appearing alternate-distichous or unilateral. Axes terete, lightly calcified; main axes 1–2 mm in diameter; lateral branches to 1 mm in diameter. Medulla with 5–15 filaments as well as adventitious filaments from basal cells of cortical fascicles; cells elongate, 90–120 × 12–15 µm, to 180 µm in diameter in older portions. Cortical fascicles subdichotomously branched; distal 2–5 cells unbranched; distal cells to 15 µm in diameter, with a conspicuous central pyrenoid, often bearing 1 or 2 glandular cells.
Reproduction. Spermatangial branches on subterminal cortical cells, 4 or 5 cells long; spermatangia 3–4 µm in diameter. Carpogonial branches with lower cells often secondarily branched. Carposporophyte to 250 µm in diameter.
Distribution. Occurs subtidally at depths of 6–20 m in the Houtman Abrolhos, W. Aust.
Habitat. G. fractalis grows on coral and coral rubble.
