Gracilaria
arcuata Zanardini
|
Order
|
Family
|
Genus
|
|
Gracilariales
|
Gracillariaceae
|
Gracilaria
|
|
Gracilaria
arcuata Zanardini
Characteristics
Tha
thallus is erct, rigid and cartilaginous having a dull green or purple
colour when fresh and attached to the solid substrate by a discoid
holdfast; main axis are somewhat irregularly branched; cylindrical
an 2.5 - 5mm in diameter; primary and secondary branches are generally
secund, slightly constricted at the base, slightly enlarged above
the constrictions and attenuated towards the mucronate tips; ultimate
branchlets are 2-7 mm long, arcuate, appearing like long simple coarse
spines or may be forked into 2 short stubby spinose branchlets at
the terminal portion of the thallus;
cross section shows a medulla composed of large pseudo-parenchymatous
cells which are 336 - 569µ broad, surrounded by an out layer
of small rounded cortical cells which are 11.9 - 16.5 µ broad.
Distribution
: Bombay (Maharashtra)
Ecological
status : Grows rarely in the Intertidal zone and abundantly in shallow
lagoons and submerged coral reefs.
IUCN
status :
Uses
: It is used as an additional source for agar production.
Culture/Cultivation
:
