16 4(3). Corolla olive to dark brown (occasionally iridescent blue when alive); starch is not present in the cells; plants never coenocytic Phaeophyta p.15. Rhizome mostly unistratous (one cell layer thick; midvein often several cells thick) 6 5(2). Stylus, except unistratose 7 6(5). Main branch pseudodichotomous, secondary branch from midvein; apices generally forked. 20(19). The peduncle is slightly narrowed and firm (with a transverse septum) only at the base of the branches [branches cylindrical.
2(1).Talus except hollow tubes 4 3(2).Talus as loosely spreading, tangled, filaments clustering; filaments 16-50 /lm diam.
PHYLUM RHODOPHYTA Order NEMALIALES
Crouan in Maze & Schramm) Abbott 1990: 317
- Galaxaura subverticillata Kjellman 1900
- Tricleocarpa tragilis (Linnaeus) Huisman
- Gelidiella acerosa (ForsskaI) J. Feldmann
- Amphiroa fragilissima (Linnaeus) Lamouroux 1816: 298
215 p,m diam., in outer segments; descending gonimoblast filaments; involucral filaments few to absent.. HABITAT.-Common; on rocks or coral fragments, in areas with seaward ridges and grooves of reefs; up to 12 m deep. DISTRIBUTION.-)I-Florida, )I-Bahamas, *Turks &. Medullary filaments 10-25 p,m diam., loosely interlaced, extending into the cortex (i.e., overlapping and interspersed with bulbous cortical cells). Branches short, crowded, cylindrical, 1-3 mm in diameter, densely but evenly covered with stiff hair-like filaments.
Surface cells rounded-rectangular, 8-10 pm diam., in longitudinal rows, not losing linear arrangement with age.
- Fosliella farinosa (Lamouroux) Howe 1920: 587
- Hydrolithon boergesenii (Foslie) Foslie 1909: 56
- Neogoniolithon strictum (Foslie) Setchell & Mason 1943: 92
- Hypnea musciformis (Wulfen in Jacquin) Lamouroux 1813: 43 (reprint 131)
- Hypnea spinella (C. Agardh) Kiitzing 1847: 23
- Meristiella echinocarpum (Areschoug) Cheney & Gabrielson in Gabrielson &
- Crouan) Cheney & Gabrielson in Gabrielson & Cheney 1987: 483
DESCRIPTION.-Thallus stony, heavily calcified, forming knobbly semicircular lumps (rhodoliths), up to 15 cm in diameter, pale pink; profusely branching, irregular to dichotomous. Medullary cells, thick-walled, irregular to oval, 100-350 µm diam., round distinctly thick-walled central filament (70-80 µm diam.). Tetrasporangia oval, 10-20 µm diameter, 25-30 µm long, zonally distributed, in swollen sori (nemathecia) girdling the medial part of the lateral branch.
Medullary cells oval p,m diam., thin-walled, colourless, decreasing in size towards the surface; central filaments 3-6 /lm diam., crowded, thick-walled, entwined.
- Hydropuntia cornea G. Agardh) Wynne 1989: 476
- Hydropuntia crassissima (P. Crouan
- Gelidiopsis intricata (C. Agardh) Vickers 1905: 61
- Ceramium flaccidum (Kiitzing) Ardissone 1871: 40
- Spyridia filamentosa (Wulfen) Harvey 1833: 337
- Martens 1869: 234, 237
- Hypoglossum cf. heterocystideum
- Dasya mollis Harvey 1853: 62
- Dasya rigidula (Kiitzing) Ardissone 1878: 140
- Heterosiphonia crispella (C. Agardh) Wynne 1985: 87
Medullary cells up to 16 /lm diam., grading only slightly smaller towards the surface, usually 6-8 cell layers deep. Spermatangia up to 5 p,m diam., in sori girdle lower third of fertile branches. HABITAT.-General; in warm, calm, sheltered areas; up to 8m deep. Tog- rasporangia 60-90 p,m diam., tetrahedrally divided, loosely clamped by sparse, short, slender, curved, sheath filaments.
Tetrasporangial stichidia linear-oval, up to 135 p,m diameter, 300 p,m long, near base of twig; tetrasporangia spherical, up to 50 µm in diameter, tetrahedrally divided.
- Bostrychia tenella (Lamouroux) J. Agardh
- Herposiphonia pecten-veneris (Harvey) Falkenberg 1901: 315
- Laurenda caraibica Silva 1972: 205
- Laurenda papillosa (C. Agardh) Greville 1830: lii
- Polysiphonia atlantica Kapraun
- Polysiphonia havanensis Montagne 1837: 352
- Polysiphonia scopulorum Harvey 1855: 540
Cystocarps oval to spherical, to 700 p.m. diam., sessile, solitary or in pairs, terminal on fertile branches. Branches sparse, cylindrical mm diam., to 2 mm long; tips slightly swollen, tufted with short, inconspicuous filaments. Surface cells densely compact, rounded, 35-50 p.m. diameter in older branches, secondary pit connections are found; apical cell sunken in deep terminal depression.
Cystocarps oval or urn-shaped, up to 140 µm diameter, sessile, near the distal ends of the outer branches. Cystocarps oval or urn-shaped, up to 240 µm diameter, sessile, near distal ends of outer branches. HABITAT.-Common; on hard substrates or mangrove roots; up to 2m deep. DISTRmUTION.-)f-Jamaica, Hispaniola (Dlaz-Piferrer 1978), St. Surface cells oval to angular p,m diam., with surface projection when young, deeply pigmented; marrow cells large, colorless; apical cell sunk in terminal depression.
Surface cells 40-50(-70) p,m diam., deeply pigmented; medullary cells large, colorless, thin-walled, decreasing in size toward the surface; apical cell sunken in terminal depression. Tetrasporangiaspheric to ovoid, 65- 100 p,m diam., divided tetrahedrally.. HABITAT.-Common; on hard surfaces, abundant in shallow rock flats; to4m depth.. DISTRIBUTION.-)l-Florida, *Bahamas, )l-Turq&. Spermatangial branches cylindrical, 30-50 p,m in diameter, 100-180 p,m long, lateral or terminal on lower segments of apical filaments; sterile apical cells absent.
Tetrasporangia spherical, 50-70 p,m diam., tetrahedrally divided, solitary or in equal series of 2-4 in outer branches. Spermatangial branches cylindrical, 30-60 p,m diam., 80-300 p,m long, lateral on lower segments of apical filaments; lacking sterile apical cells.
PHYLUM PHAEOPHYTA Order ECTOCARPALES
Lobophora variegata (Lamouroux) Womersleyex Oliveira 1977: 217
Rhizoids develop on prostrate axes. on rocks, coral fragments or other hard substrates; lower intertidal to 10 m deep. DISTRIBUTION.-*Florida, *Bahamas, )I-Turke&. Antheridia alternate with oogonial bands on sides of hairbands. HABITAT.-General; on rocks, corals, or mangrove buttress roots, found in sheltered or moderately wave-exposed areas; lower intertidal to 20 m deep. DISTRIBUTION.-)I-Florida, *Cuba, *Jamaica, )I-Virgin Islands, )I-Grenada, )I-Barbados, *Colombia el-Taylor 1960), Costa Rica (Wellington 1973),. Fertile branches 0.5-0.7 mm diameter, 0.5-1.0 cm long, alternately branched or forked, with warty or bumpy surface, conspicuous when present.. HABITAT.-Uncommon; in mangrove lagoon or around mangrove islands; up to 2 m deep. DISTRIBUTION.-)f.
HABITAT.-General; on rocks in protected habitats, often behind reef crest in debris-pavement zone; lower intertidal to 10 m deep. DISTRIBUTION.-*Florida, )f-Bahamas, *Turks &. Fruitful branches densely forked, crowded at blade's axil. HABITAT.-Common, on rocks or dead coral fragments, in shallow areas on reef crest in strong currents or heavy wave action; .. lower intertidal to 1 m deep. DISTRIBUTION.-*Bahamas, *Turks & Caicos,. DESCRIPTION.-Thallus lax, slender, sociable, in clusters or tufts cm long, light green; branching, if present, sparse near base. Blades 1. 5{-10) mm diameter, tapering towards the base, cylindrical, hollow, tubular or flattened and band-shaped with hollow edges; walls one cell thick.
Rhizoids fine, forming densely knitted basal cushion. HABITAT.-General; on mangrove buttress roots, wood, rock or epiphytic on other marine plants; in brackish water of estuaries or around freshwater seeps on sandy banks; high intertidal to 5 m deep. DISTRIBUTION.-*Texas, *Mississippi, )I-Florida, )I-Bahamas, *Cuba, *Jamaica, *Hispaniola, *Virgin Islands, tSt. Filaments375-460 nm diam.; lateral filaments 210-295 pm diam., arising as extension of upper end of parent cell; wall formation absent from base of lateral filaments with open connection to parent cell. Filaments 150-280 pm diam.; lateral filaments 100-150 pm diam., arising as extension of upper end of mother cell; wall formation absent from base of lateral filaments with open connection to mother cell.
DESCRIPTION.-Sac-like thallus, hollow, spherical when young, irregularly lobed or cracked when old, up to 12(-30) cm in diameter, light green. Primary cells 0.1-3.0 mm in diameter, in one layer, angular or polyhedral in surface view, honeycomb-like, attached to each other by microscopic stringy cells.
Cells globose, oblong to club-shaped, 5-15 mm diameter, 1-4 cm long, tightly packed; cell walls thin, tough. DESCRIPTION.-Thallus solitary or in clusters, as small shiny balloon-like cells, up to 3 cm diameter, light translucent green. DESCRIPTION.-Thallus as descending (creeping) mats or spots, up to 40 cm diameter, dark, dull green; branching broadly dichotomous to irregular.
Branches strong, rubbery, cylindrical to slightly flattened, 1-3(-5) mm in diameter, often fused; tips blunt, rounded. Creeping stolon, 2-3 mm in diameter, often branched; rhizoids numerous, thick-stemmed, branching to slender tips. Stolon creeping, broad, 2.0-2.5 mm diameter, up to 2 m long, generally shorter; thick-stemmed rhizoids, 2 mm in diameter.
Delicate rounded leaves, 5-8 mm in diameter. HABITAT.-Common; as large colonies on stable substrates, supporting roots of mangroves or peat, often present as a bottom layer in seagrass beds; up to 30 m deep. DESCRIPTION.-Talus that forms dense piles or mounds, up to 20 cm high, 1 m diam. generally smaller), white-green to dark green; . random, irregular branching. DESCRIPTION.-Thalli loose piles or mounds, up to 50 cm high, 1 m in diameter. generally smaller), white-green to dark green;.
Thallus cellular, finger-like, sometimes club-shaped or pointed, up to 6 cm high, 1.5 cm diameter, dull dark brownish green. Stipe variable, often branched, up to 15 mm diameter, 8 cm long, . flattened top; appendages not crowded, dichotomously branched with tips tapering to blunt tips.. HABITAT.-Common; in sandy sheltered areas, often mixed with sea grasses; up to 15 m deep. DISTRIBUTION.-)!-Florida, *Bahamas, *Cuba,. Stipe cylindrical or slightly flattened, 5-7 mm diameter, 3-10 cm long, rarely branched; appendages 2-4 times dichotomously branched,.
Stipe cylindrical, 3-5 mm diameter, 2-5 cm long; cortical appendages tightly packed, repeatedly branched with blunt, finger-like tips.
Dot cylindrical, 1.5-2.5 mm diameter, 1- 2cm long; surface unchanged in transition to blade; siphons 40-70 p,m diam., unequally shortened above diptych; lateral appendages repeatedly divided with obtuse, rounded tips.
Description.-Solitary thallus or in groups, umbrella-shaped, moderately calcified, 3-8 cm high, white-green. Axes slender, 420-660 p,m diameter, heavily calcified, occasionally with a few whorls of filaments; filaments colourless, pale green when young, rapidly milky, each branch filled with up to six similar branchlets at tip, branching pattern repeated for 5-7 tiers, each set of branches slightly smaller and more narrower than the previous group. Disc one or more, flat or cup-shaped, 5-20 mm in diameter, 30-60 in radius; rays equally narrowed, oval in cross-section, outer border of ray rounded with central tooth or spine;.
Disc solitary, flat or cup-shaped, up to 6 mm diameter, of 15-32 rays connected by heavy carbonate deposits; rays 0.50-0.75 mm diameter, 1.5-2.0 mm long, oblong-ovate in cross-section, outer margin tapering to obtuse tip; base narrowed; middle plate convex; corona superior (microscopic branches on dorsal side at base of rays) lobes emarginate, laterally free, with 2-8 hair scars elliptically arranged; corona inferiorly lacking. HABITAT.-Uncommon, small and indistinct, rarely collected; found at base of larger plants within shady cracks and crevices, mostly mixed in thick turf directly behind ridge crest; up to 5 m deep. DISTRMUSION.-)l. HABITAT.-General; forming large mats in calm water or when loosely attached as free-floating, black, hairy mats, toxic to mammals; what causes swimmer's itch in humans; intertidal to 2m deep.
DESCRIPTION.-Thallusfilamentous, forming large tangled masses, up to 50 cm long, brown-green, yellow-green, black-green to black-purple. HABITAT.-Common; epiphyte on other marine plants, often as long dark flowing masses in mangrove lagoons; intertide up to 2 m depth. Note: Conspecific with Oscillatoria submembranacea Ardissone and Strafforella, according to Drouet (1968).. HABITAT.-Common; forming raised, vertically layered tufts; to 2 m depth.. DISTRIBUTION.-Tropical to temperate, worldwide; )I-*Belize; Pelican Kays: D.&.
HABITAT.-Common; epiphytic on mangrove buttress roots, mud, rock or wood forming small cushions or fuzzy clumps; intertidal to 2 m deep. HABITAT.-Common; epiphytic on other marine plants, forming small pads or fuzzy clumps; intertidal to 2m deep.
PHYLUM MAGNOLIOPHYTA Order BUTOMALES
The off-shore benthic flora of the southwestern coast of Florida.-Bulletin of Marine Science. Notes on algae of Bermuda and the Bahamas.-Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 51:351-359. Some new records and range extensions of Florida marine algae.-Bulletin of Marine Science of the Gulf and Caribbean.
Marine CWorophyta of the upper west coast of Florida.-Gulf and Caribbean Marine Science Bulletin. Notes on the marine flora of the Marquesas Keys, Florida.-Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences. Lucie Inlet and adjacent Indian River, Florida.-Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences.
The Marine Algae of Trinidad, West Indies.—Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Botany. Catalog of the benthic marine algae of the Indian Ocean.-University of California Publications in Botany 79:i-xiv+ 1-259. Catalog of the benthic marine algae of the Philippines. - Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine Sciences 27:i-iv+1-179.
A valuable old collection of marine algae from Florida. - Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences 27(1): 1-8. A checklist of benthic marine algae of the tropical and subtropical western Atlantic Ocean. -Canadian Journal of Botany l.
TAXONOMIC INDEX
