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Myriodesma leptophyllum J.Agardh

Reference
Acta Univ.Lund. 6 (1890)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Scientific Description

Habit and structure. Thallus medium to dark brown, 10–30 cm long, with 2–3 more or less complanately branched fronds from each branch of the stipe. Holdfast discoid-conical, 3–10 mm across; epilithic. Stipe 5–15 cm long, irregularly branched at intervals of 2–10 cm, each 1–3.5 mm in diameter, thickening by meristoderm activity. Fronds 3–20 cm long, pinnate becoming bipinnate, laterals sub-opposite below, alternate above, compressed, linear, entire, 0.5–1.5 mm broad; midrib absent or slight. Structure of fronds 300–400 µmand 10–15 cells thick, with a slight medulla of elongate cells and hyphae, and a cortex of isodiametric cells with an inactive surface meristoderm of short cells.

Reproduction. Thalli monoecious. Conceptacies in a single, occasionally double, irregular row on each side of the branches, bisexual, with a dense basal tuft of phaeophycean hairs; oogonia sessile, ovoid but broad-based, 100–120 µmlong and 50–80 µmin diameter; antheridia sessile or on short, branched, paraphyses, ovoid, 20–30 µmlong and 8–12 µmin diameter.

Distribution. From Israelite Bay, W. Aust., to Robe, S. Aust.

[After Womersley, Mar. Benthic Fl. Southern Australia II: 410 (1987)]