Champia bibendum Huisman

Scientific Description

Habit and structure. Thallus with recumbent and erect axes to 2.5 cm long, pink to dark red (iridescent in situ), attached by discoid holdfasts, pinnately branched, with laterals mostly opposite or irregular; axes compressed but with subterete bases, to 2 mm wide, tapering to bases and apices; diaphragms associated with faint constrictions. Structure with longitudinal filaments confined to the periphery, with 1 or 2 complete cells and 2 half cells between diaphragms. Outer cellular tissue with a single layer of large cells, these to 35–100 µm long, 20–60 µm broad in surface view, cutting off smaller more pigmented cells (6–10 µm diam.) at their corners. Hairs common, arising from smaller cortical cells.

Reproduction. Tetrasporangia scattered, intercalary, obovoid to pyriform, 50–60 µm diam., 60–80 µm long, tetrahedrally divided.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality and collection; epilithic in the subtidal.

[After J.M. Huisman in Algae of Australia: Marine Benthic Algae of North-western Australia, 2. Red Algae: 306–309 (2018)]