Keys to species Chaetomorpha

Chaetomorpha Kutzing

Plants filamentous, unbranched, attached bya a basal holdfast cell; cylindrical or usually somewhat broader above the base, or in the form of more or less entangled free filaments; cells highly multinucleate, usually with firm, often heavy, lamellose walls; asexual reproduction by zoospores formed in slightly enlarged cells; sexual reproduction similar, by isogametes.

Key to the species of Chaetomorpha Kutzing

1. Plants erect, the filaments clearly basally attached
2
1. Plants of flexuous entangled filaments without specific basal attachment
6
2. Small epiphytes, the filament 10 - 20 u diam
C. minima
2. Much larger plants several centimeters tall, chiefly growing or rocks
3
3. Erect filament much broader at the summit than below, reaching 1.5 mm diam.
C. clavata
3. Filament of nearly uniform diameter, except very near the holdfast
4
4. Filament less than 100 u diam
C. nodosa
4. Filament 100 u diam. or more
5
5. Basal cells very elongate, 4 - 12 times as long as the next higher cell
5. Basal cell less distinctive, about 2.4 - 4.2 times long as the suprabasal cell
6. Filaments under 100 u diam.
C. gracilis
6. Filaments usually over 100 u diam.
7
7. Filaments geniculate, 100- 210 u diam.; cells 1-2 diameters long
C. geniculata
7. Filaments without axial deflections
8
8. Filaments rather stiff, 100 - 375 u diam., cells 0.75 - 5 diameters long
8. Filaments usually rather softer, cells about as long as broad
9
9. Filaments 80 - 180 u diam.
C. brachygona
9. Filaments 300 - 700 u diam.