Stichosiphon Geitler, 1931

Lectotype species: Stichosiphon regularis Geitler

Original publication: Geitler, L. (1931). Cyanophyceae. In: Kryptogamen-Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz. Ed. 2. (Rabenhorst, L. Eds) Vol. 14, pp. 289-672. Leipzig: Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft.

Type designated in: Geitler, L. (1942). Schizophyta: Klasse Schizophyceae. In: Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien, Sweite Auflage. (Engler, A. & Prantl, K. Eds) Vol.1b, pp. 1-232. Leipzig: Wilhelm Engelmann.

Description: Unicellular; cells elongated, always polarized, attached to the substrate by their basal ends by help of a morphologically diversified pad, which is the basal part of the firm, thin, usually layered sheath (pseudovagina), solitary or in groups; young cells oval, cylindrical or obovate, which start usually very soon divide into a row of exocytes forming the long pseudofilaments within the mother sheaths (adult individuals); pseudovaginas are open at the apical ends. Cell content pale blue-green cells sometimes with several prominent granules, thylakoids more or less coiled, distributed all over the cell (generic character ?). Cell division always only perpendicular to the long axes of the attached individuals; first division is more or less asymmetric, dividing the upper part from the basal cell; then the upper exocyte(s) grow continually and divide successively (the formed exocytes divide repeatedly within the mother sheath); this process results into a row of exocytes forming the pseudofilament. Single exocytes or their clustered groups (in S. indicus) liberate from the open sheath at the free, apical end. Exocytes are polarized, join to the substrate by the one end (in comparison with the orientation within the mother sheath) and start to grow at the opposite apical end. Most species described from different tropical regions, where they grow epiphytically on other algae and submerged water plants. The most common type species, S. sansibaricus, has pantropical distribution, but it was found also in basins with thermal water and tropical water plants in the temperate zone. One species is known from Himalayas, another one on stones in alpine creeks in European high mountain areas.

Information contributed by: J. Komárek. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2023-03-03 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: Strunecký, O., Ivanova, A.P. & Mares, J. (2022 '2023'). An updated classification of cyanobacterial orders and families based on phylogenomic and polyphasic analysis (Review). Journal of Phycology 59(1): 12-51.

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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=44034

Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 03 March 2023. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 18 April 2024