Meridiocolax J.Morrill, 1976
Holotype species: Meridiocolax narcissus J.Morrill
Original publication and holotype designation: Morrill, J. (1976). Notes on parasitic Rhodomelaceae, III: Meridiocolax narcissus, a new red alga parasitic on Polysiphonia ferulacea Suhr from the Florida Keys. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 127: 233-248.
Request PDFDescription: Small polysiphonous filaments, up to 1mm high, a hemiparasite or parasite on Polysiphonia comprised of upright branches, usually in clusters, directly attached by rhizoidal filaments to host cells by secondary pit connections. Axes unbranched or with few long branches; small trichoblast, scar cell or polysiphonous branch on each segment, spirally arranged on branch. Cicatrigenous branches sometimes produced. Pericentral cells 4, mostly uncorticated except sometimes very few proximal corticating cells present. Most erect branches reproductive; gametophytes monoecious or dioecious. Male branches replacing trichoblasts (M. polysiphoniae), with 4 capitula on branched trichoblast M. narcissus), or fertile trichoblast with 1 dichotomy forming a capitula with a subtending sterile filament (M. bracteata). Procarp on epibasal cell of trichoblast, comprised of 4-celled carpogonial branch and 2 sterile cell groups attached to the supporting cell. Cystocarps spheroidal and ostiolate. Sporangiate plants with linearly aligned axial cells forming sporangia in a more or less straight series, one per segment. Bisporangia formed in M. narcissus and M. polysiphoniae, tetrasporangia in M. bracteata.
Information contributed by: R.E. Norris. The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2010-10-07 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: Known on species of Polysiphonia from the Florida Keys and Brazil in the western Atlantic and from Lord Howe Is. in the south Pacific. Primary generic characters are direct attachment of erect filaments to host, rather than formation of pulvinate tissue, and formation of unusual reproductive characters in some species: bisporangia and several male capitula on a single trichoblast. Also, transversely divided apical cells in tetrasporophytes differs from obliquely dividing apical cells, forming a zig-zag axis, in similar plants assigned to Stromatocarpus.
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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=42515
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 07 October 2010. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 23 April 2024
