Champia patula (Champiaceae, Rhodymeniales), a new red algal species from the Perth region, Western Australia

Abstract

Champia Desvaux is a relatively well-demarcated genus in the family Champiaceae (Rhodymeniales). Its distinctive morphology includes hollow branches that are segmented by one-cell thick internal diaphragms, often with slight constrictions at the level of the diaphragms, giving the thallus a wormlike appearance. Aside from the diaphragms, the only other internal structures in the vegetative thalli are longitudinal filaments that bear lateral vesicular cells. Depending on the species, the longitudinal filaments can be distributed through the internal cavity or be restricted to the periphery, in which case they line the inner surface of the cortex.