Calliarthron
Encyclopedia
Calliarthron is a genus containing four species of thalloid intertidal alga. Specimens can reach around 30 cm in size. The thalli take a crustose form. The organisms lack secondary pit connection
s. Calliarthron reproduces by means of conceptacle
s; it produces tetraspores, dispores and carpospores. The genus has lignin
and contains secondary cell walls, traits which are normally associated with the vascular plant
s. It is similar to the genus Bossiella
.
Calliarthron is calcified, but has uncalcified joints to allow it to flex in response to the waves to which it is subjected. These joints start out calcified, and decalcify as they grow older. After decalcifying they grow much longer, then fatten themselves out much in same way as xylem formation results in secondary walls.
Pit connection
In Plant anatomy, a pit connection is a hole in the septum between two algal cells, and is found only in the red algae - specifically, all orders except the Porphyridiales and haploid Bangiales. They are often stoppered with "pit plugs". They are in fact neither pits, nor connections, yet the term...
s. Calliarthron reproduces by means of conceptacle
Conceptacle
Conceptacles are specialised cavities of marine and freshwater algae that contain the reproductive organs. They are situated in the receptacle and open by a small ostiole. Conceptacles are present in Corallinaceae, and Hildenbrandiales, as well as the brown Fucales. In the Fucales there is no...
s; it produces tetraspores, dispores and carpospores. The genus has lignin
Lignin
Lignin or lignen is a complex chemical compound most commonly derived from wood, and an integral part of the secondary cell walls of plants and some algae. The term was introduced in 1819 by de Candolle and is derived from the Latin word lignum, meaning wood...
and contains secondary cell walls, traits which are normally associated with the vascular plant
Vascular plant
Vascular plants are those plants that have lignified tissues for conducting water, minerals, and photosynthetic products through the plant. Vascular plants include the clubmosses, Equisetum, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms...
s. It is similar to the genus Bossiella
Bossiella
Bossiella is a genus of coralline algae with 5 recognised species. It reproduces via conceptacles; individual thalli only produce conceptacles of a single sex.- Species :The valid species currently considered to belong to this genus are:...
.
Calliarthron is calcified, but has uncalcified joints to allow it to flex in response to the waves to which it is subjected. These joints start out calcified, and decalcify as they grow older. After decalcifying they grow much longer, then fatten themselves out much in same way as xylem formation results in secondary walls.
Species
The 4 species currently recognised are:- C. latissimum
- C. tuberculosum
- C. yessoense
- C. cheilosporioides
External links
- Images of Calliarthron at AlgaebaseAlgaeBaseAlgaeBase is a global species database of information on all groups of algae, as well as one group of flowering plants, the sea-grasses.AlgaeBase evolved from Michael Guiry's seaweed website, and has grown into a database of algae from throughout the world, and in freshwater, terrestrial, and...