Onychocolax Pocock, 1956
Holotype species: Onychocolax polysiphoniae Pocock
Original publication and holotype designation: Pocock, M.A. (1956). South African parasitic Florideae and their hosts. 3. Four minute parasitic Florideae. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London 167: 11-41, 6 figs, 6 plates.
Request PDFDescription: Very small hemiparasite or parasite; monosiphonous, branched filaments with apical growth occupying spaces between Polysiphonia axial filament and pericentrals. Connections between host and parasite present. Reproductive branchlets are only parts of plant external to host, mostly emerging in groups between pericentrals at joints between segments or parallel to pericentrals. Female branchlet bifurcate, each branch with a terminal trichoblast ending in an unguiculate hair, the two hairs terminating the female branch are a prominent distinguishing character for the genus. Carpogonial branch 4-celled, 2 sterile cells on supporting cell; auxiliary cell cut off from supporting cell after fertilization; 1-2 urceolate cystocarps on each branchlet. Male branchlet usually simple, fusiform, sometimes divided, spermatangia formed on entire surface. Tetrasporangial branchlet simple, with 4 pericentral cells, 4 sporangia per segment forming 4 straight rows.
Information contributed by: R.E. Norris. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2020-11-09 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: Schneider, C.W. & Wynne, M.J. (2007). A synoptic review of the classification of red algal genera a half a century after Kylin's "Die Gattungen der Rhodophyceen". Botanica Marina 50: 197-249.
Comments: On Polysiphonia, only known on the south-eastern coast of South Africa.
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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Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera,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=42874
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 09 November 2020. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 20 April 2024
