Division | Rhodophyta |
Class | Florideophyceae |
Order | Ceramiales |
Family | Rhodomelaceae |
Basionym | Hutchinsia glomerulata C. Agardh |
Thalli dark brown in colour, prostrate to erect, grows up to 5 cm height, profusely branched and spongy. Thalli attached by means of numerous unicellular rhizoids, produced by pericentral cells, terminating in lobed discs. Thallus polysiphonous, cortication absent and segments measure 80-220 µm length and 100-110 µm width. Apical cells elongate with blunt end 12-14 µm length
In a cross section, main axis shows an axial cell surrounded by 4 pericentral cells. Main axes and indeterminate branches show numerous perpendicularly arranged determinate branchlets. Main and laterals axes show spirally arranged branchlets with dichotomously branched apexes and bears one or two trichoblast during the younger stages of the thalli.
Ecology
Epilithic or Epiphytic on other macroalgae (eg. Turbinaria).
Distribution in India
Gujarat (Dwarka, Port Okha); Tamil Nadu (Krusadii Island); Andaman Islands.