Centroceras clavulatum (C. Agardh) Montagne

Order Family    Genus Ceramiales Ceramiaceae Centroceras

Centroceras clavulatum (C. Agardh) Montagne

Characteristics

Thalli tufted, dark red, 1-3 cm tall; branching alternate, sometimes almost ternate, each dichotomy of equal length; ultimate branches incurved in pairs; each segment in younger portion with several spines of 1 or 2 cells, the spines not always found in older portions. Thalli brittle on drying, easily loosened at nodes; cortical cells divides transversely and covers entire axial cell, forming 1 to may spines at upper portion of each node; cells uninucleate. Tetrasporangia tetrahedrally divided, in rings at nodes, sometimes on specialized branches; spermatangia in terminal clusters from tufted, adventitious branchlets, these arising from pericentral cells at nodes; development of gonimoblast as in ceramium; mature gonimoblast surrounded by several sterile branches.

Distribution : Gujarat,Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, kerala, Lakshadweep

Ecological status : Interidal (supralittoral)

IUCN status: NE

Uses: Food, animal feed and agricultural