Gelidium pusillum (Stackhouse) Le Jollis

Order Family    Genus Gelidiales Gelidiaceae Gelidium

Gelidium pusillum (Stackhouse) Le Jollis

Characteristics

Plants small, solitary or forming loose turfs, creeping below, giving rise to erect blades 5-15mm long subcylindrical below, flattened about 0.5-0.75 mm. Broad above, sparsely pinnately proliferating, central part composed of slender colourless filaments with exceedingly thick confluent walls, surrounded by the inner cortex of short large cells and the epidermal layer of rounded angular cells. Slightly elongated lengthwise of the axis, about 4-10 micron surface diameter, rhizines in the stalklike portions subcortical, in the blade portions invading the medulla, often seemingly absent altogether.

Distribution : Dwarka, Porbandar, Veraval, (Gujrat) Bombay,(Maharashtra) Karwar, (Karnataka) Lakshadweep

Ecological status : Littoral zone.

IUCN status :NE

Uses : It is one of the potential species as source of agar.

Culture/Cultivation :