Oedocladium Stahl, 1891

Holotype species: Oedocladium protonema Stahl ex Hirn

Original publication: Stahl, E. (1891). Oedocladium protonema, eine neue Oedogoniaceen-Gattung. Jahrb. Wiss. Bot. 23: 339-348.

Description: Uniseriate filaments with branching on all sides. Filaments conspicuously dimorphic in terrestrial habitats; rhizoidal branches penetrate soil with long, slender hyaline or weakly chlorophylous cells, while branches lying prostrate on soil surface composed of shorter, chlorophylous cells of larger diameter. Vegetative cells typically cylindrical, uninucleate, and with a large reticulate, parietal chloroplast containing one to many (usually) pyrenoids. Cell division generally restricted to terminal cell of filament or branch, and of unique type typical of Oedogoniales (see Oedogonium for description). Asexual reproduction by multiflagellate zoospores; less commonly by fragmentation of filaments or germination of red or orange-red akinetes. Sexual reproduction oogamous; monoecieous or dioecious; some species nannandrous with dwarf male filaments derived from androspores. Oogonium with single egg and derived from apical-most daughter cell resulting from division of an oogonial mother cell. Single supporting (suffultory) cell subtends each oogonium, or series of oogonia. Small multiflagellate sperm enters oogonium to effect fertilization. Resulting zygote (oospore) gradually turns red and develops a thick cell wall with species specific surface ornamentation.Oedocladium least common genus in Oedogoniales. Terrestrial, or occasionally free-floating in freshwater habitats. Culture isolates obtained from terrestrial habitats in nature also grow well in liquid culture media. Infrequently reported, with known distribution presently limited to USA, Australia, Germany, India, Puerto Rico, and Bengal; most collections from USA.

Information contributed by: L.R. Hoffman. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2015-05-15 by Salvador Valenzuela Miranda.

Taxonomic status: This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.

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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Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera, organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA) and intended to be published in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=43423

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
Salvador Valenzuela Miranda in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 15 May 2015. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 19 April 2024