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The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system, WAHerb, and DBCA’s taxonomic names application, WACensus, have been set to read-only mode since 1 October 2025. Recent taxonomic changes are not reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or in the census. We are hoping to be able to reinstate services around December 15; we will provide an update at that time.

The notice period started at 9:00 am on Wednesday, 1 October 2025 +08:00 and will end at 12:00 pm on Monday, 15 December 2025 +08:00.

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Melanothamnus upolensis (Grunow) Díaz-Tapia & Maggs

Reference
Eur.J.Phycol. 52:11 (2017)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Scientific Description

Habit and structure. Thallus deep red, with prostrate and sparsely branched erect axes. Prostrate axes 75–100 µm diam. [segment L:B 1–2], attached by pit-connected rhizoids arising from the proximal end of pericentral cells. Erect axes to 3.5 mm tall, simple or with lateral branches separated by 11 or 12 segments; lower axes 70–100 µm diam. [segment L:B 1–2], tapering gradually to 50–60 µm diam. near apices [segment L:B 0.5–1.5]. Lateral branches replacing trichoblasts. Structure with 4 pericentral cells and 1 trichoblast or scar cell every 2 or 3 segments in a spiral pattern.

Reproduction. Reproductive structures not observed.

Distribution. Known from warmer waters of the eastern Indian and central and western Pacific Oceans. In north-western Australia it is known from the Dampier Archipelago and Cassini Island.

Habitat. epilithic or epiphytic in the intertidal and shallow subtidal.

[After J.M. Huisman in Algae of Australia: Marine Benthic Algae of North-western Australia, 2. Red Algae: 549–550 (2018)]