Faucheocolax Setchell, 1923
Holotype species: Faucheocolax attenuatus Setchell
Original publication and holotype designation: Setchell, W.A. (1923). Parasitic Florideae, II. University of California Publications in Botany 10: 393-396.
Request PDFDescription: Thallus inconspicuous, verrucose or stellate, base consisting of supposedly parasitic filaments penetrating the host. Erect fronds with short tuberculate or stellate lobes, white or pinkish. Construction multiaxial, cortex of 5-7 layers of anticlinally orientated cells. Medulla pseudoparencymatous consisting of large radially elongated cells. Spermatangial plants unknown. Procarpic, carpogonial branches 3-celled borne on a large multinucleate supporting cell with a 2-celled auxiliary cell branch, gonimoblast developing outwards, almost all cells forming carposporangia. Cystocarps hemispherical, large and protruding, ostiolate, scattered, tela arachnoidea present. Tetrasporangia scattered, formed terminally in the cortex. Spores regularly cruciately arranged.Nothing is known of the life history in culture but it is likely to be of the 'Polyspiphonia-type'.
Information contributed by: M.D. Guiry. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2010-10-08 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: Saunders, G.W., Strachan, I.M. & Kraft, G.T. (1999). The families of the order Rhodymeniales (Rhodophyta): a molecular-systematic investigation with a description of Faucheaceae fam. nov. Phycologia 38: 23-40.
Comments: Exhaustive ultrastructural studies of various aspects of the development of the gonimoblast and carposporogenesis have been made in Faucheocolax attenuata by Delivopoulos and Kugrens (1984a, 1984b, 1985) and Kugrens and Delivopoulos (1985). Species of Faucheocolax are found exclusively on Fauchea species, on which it is generally assumed that they are parasitic. However, the occasional pinkish coloration of the plants suggests that they are capable of at least some photosynthesis. The structure and reproduction of Faucheocolax is very similar to that of Fauchea; the sizes of the reproductive structures are, however, very much smaller. Two other parasitic genera are found in the Rhodymeniaceae: Rhodymeniocolax and Gloiocolax (q.v.). These are similar to Faucheocolax in that their structure and reproduction closely resemble that of their hosts. Faucheocolax attenuata, the only known species, is found only on the western coast of North America (Vancouver to central California) growing on Fauchea fryeana and Fauchea laciniata in the subtidal at depths up to 10 m.
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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=42464
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 08 October 2010. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 25 April 2024
