Taxonomy of Ulvaceae, Monostromataceae and Percursariaceae (Chlorophyta) in Australia

Algae > Volume 8(2); 1993 > Article

Algae 1993;8(2): 121-144.

Geoffrey W. Woolcott, Robert J. King

School of Biological Science, University of New South Wales

ABSTRACT

In Australia, membranous flat-sheeted or tubular green algae, excluding purely filamentous and siphonous forms, can be generally placed in one of three families: Ulvaceae, Monostromataceae and Percursariaceae, a classification based largely on European studies. Specimens from Australian collections, which have been limited in both the number of specimens collected and the range of locations sampled, have been placed in taxa delimited by European phycologists. Species representative of each family have been reported from southern Australian and from tropical coasts, though we habe recognized species from only the Ulvaceae and Percursariaceae at temperate east coast localities. Delimitation of genera and species in these families presents difficulties due to phenotypic plasticity. We have documented morphological variability in Ulva, and our conclusions differ from those in other Australian studies. In this report we document morphological variability in Enteromorpha and Ulvaria. This includes an assessment of taxonomic characters used more generally for ulvaceous algae and is based on extensive sampling from a large number of populations as well as observations of thallus growth and development in controlled culture conditions. Preliminary molecular analysis of the transcribed spacer regions between the 26S and 5.8S and the 5.8S and 18S rDNA genes appears to be taxonomically useful at the level of genus and species.

Key words: Ulvaceae, Monostromataceae, Percursariaceae, taxonomy, Australia