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Hincksia mitchelliae (Harvey) Silva |
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Description: Plants filamentous, in tufts or mats, 2-3(12) cm high, brown-green; branching irregular, forming as lateral projections. Filaments (17)30-50 um diam.; apices tapering to 15 um diam.; cells 1-4 diam. long, division mainly intercalary. Stolons filamentous, with fine rhizoids. Plurilocular sporangia cylindrical, often with slight taper at apex, 15-36 um diam. Unilocular sporangia rare, oval, sessile, 25-50 um diam. and 50-100 um long. Introduction and Origin: Native to Hawaii. Hawaiian Distribution: Kauai, Oahu. Habitat: Less than 1 m deep, inconspicuous, on rocks or epiphytic on other algae. Environmental Effects: Not studied. May affect recruitment of other species by successfully competing for substrate. World Distribution: Moorea, Tahiti. Florida, Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Commercial Interests: None. Rate of Spread / Method: Growth rates unknown. Dispersal by fragmentation and vegetative growth (filaments have diffuse growth), motile gametes, and zoospores. Factors likely to influence Spread and Distribution: Temperature, high nutrients availability. Reasons for Success: Rapid growth rate, high nutrients availability. Low surface to volume ratio ensures fast nutrient uptake. Diffuse growth of filaments facilitates vegetative propagation through fragmentation. Control Methods: None used. References: |
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