Polysiphonia stricta

Polysiphonia stricta is a small red marine alga in the Division Rhodophyta.

Polysiphonia stricta
Scientific classification
Clade:	Archaeplastida
Division:	Rhodophyta
Class:	Florideophyceae
Order:	Ceramiales
Family:	Rhodomelaceae
Genus:	Polysiphonia
Species:	P. stricta
Binomial name
Polysiphonia stricta (Dillwyn) Greville
Synonyms[1]
Conferva urceolata Lightfoot ex Dillwyn 1809 Conferva patens Dillwyn 1809 Conferva stricta Mertens ex Dillwyn 1804 Ceramium strictum (Mertens ex Dillwyn) Poiret 1811 Hutchinsia abyssina Lyngbye 1880 Hutchinsia comosa C.Agardh 1824 Hutchinsia roseola C.Agardh 1828 Hutchinsia stricta (Mertens ex Dillwyn) C.Agardh 1817 Hutchinsia urceolata (Lightfoot ex Dillwyn) Lyngbye 1819 Polysiphonia formosa Suhr 1831 Polysiphonia patens (Dillwyn) Harvey 1833 Polysiphonia pulvinata Liebmann 1845 Polysiphonia roseola (C.Agardh) Fries 1835 Polysiphonia spiralis L.Batten 1923 Polysiphonia urceolata (Lightfoot ex Dillwyn) Greville 1824 Polysiphonia urceolata f. comosa (C.Agardh) J.Agardh 1863 Polysiphonia urceolata f. formosa (Suhr) J.Agardh 1863 Polysiphonia urceolata f. pulvinata Kylin 1907 Polysiphonia urceolata f. roseola (C.Agardh) J.Agardh 1863 Polysiphonia urceolata f. typica Kjellman 1883

Polysiphonia stricta forms dense clumps of branching axes. The plants grow to 25 cm high.^[2]

Description

P. stricta grows as small tufts of much branched tufts, growing to no more than 25 cm high.^[2] The axes are erect, ecorticate, with 4 periaxial cells growing from prostrate axes. All 4 of the periaxial cells are of the same length.^[2][3]

Reproduction

Spermatangial branchlets are formed in clusters at the apices. Cystocarps are on wide stalks and are urceolate. The tetraspores are in series in the final branches.^[2]

Habitat

Epizoic and epiphytic in the low littoral to 20 m.^[2]

Distribution

Found around the British Isles, the West Atlantic and American Atlantic.^[2]