Morphology and anatomy of Spongites africanum comb. nov. (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) from the Cape Verde Islands

Abstract

On the basis of critical studies on the morphology and anatomy of the holotype collection and new material from the Cape Verde Islands, Lithophyllum africanum FOSLIE (= Porolithon africanum (FOSLIE) FOSLIE) is transferred to the genus Spongites KUT ZING. Plants of Spongites africanum (FOSLIE) AFON SO-CARRILLO, CHACANA & SANSON comb. nov. form subhemispherical masses, about 10 cm diameter, with a crustose portion and numerous compressed and confluent erect protuberances. Three of the five characters used to circumscribe Spongites are present in the holotype of Lithophyllum africanum: cells of contigous filaments interconnected by cell fusions, thallus composed of numerous layers of cells and normally over 200 pm thick and thallus devoid of a coaxial core of filaments. Uniporate tetrasporangial concept acles and tetrasporangia devoid of apical plugs, are the only characters not apparent in the holotype, but its are evident in the material examined from the Cape Verde Islands.