Caulerpa fastigiata Montagne

Order Family    Genus Caulepales Caulerpaceae Caulerpa

Caulerpa fastigiata Montagne

 

Caulerpa fastigiata Montagne

Characteristics

Plants 3 -9 cm high, forming mat-like colonies, filiform, with branched stolon bearing erect axes at intervals of 0.1 - 1.2cm, green including stolon, at times chlorotic in the basal region.

Stolon 215 - 400 µ diameter, with free tips upto 3 cm long with stratified wall 5.2 - 7.8 µ diameter, having numerous transverse trabeculae 1.5 - 4.0µ thick and contorted in the centre of the stolon, with a few longitudinal trabeculae of 1.3µ thickness with round to pyriform starch grains of 2.0 - 5.0 µ diameter and 7.8µ long or rarely 10.4µ long.

Primary erect axes branched to first or second degree and sometimes to 5th degree, cylindrical throughout, 112 - 275µ diameter, often subclavate at tips, slightly thicker at basal region with obtuse or sometimes faintly acute tips, with cell wall 1.5 - 3.0µ diam, having numerous transverse trabeculae 0.75 - 2.5µ thick, with a few longitudinal trabaculae 1.3µ diam with round to pyriform starch grains upto 5.2µ diameter and upto 6.0µ long.

Branching or erect axes spiral or dichotomous and in the upper part in addition opposite or subwhorled. Branchlets when short 2.5 - 4.0 mm in length, when longer upto 6.0cm usually both kinds found intermixed from below upward.

Rhizoids new origin 45 - 144µ diameter, with wall 5.2 - 7.8µ thick, simple, dichotomous or alternately branched, tapering to about 27.0µ diameter and here with walls 2.6 µ thick, when short often ending in attaching discs 70 - 300µ diamter, when longer (3-8 mm in length) sometimes with bulbous tip of about 40µ diameter.

Distribution : Gujrat

Ecological status : Intertidal zone

IUCN status :

Uses : Food and animal feed