The Polysiphonia genes sensu lato, in Northern coast and south-Central Chile (18 - 41º S) (Rhodophyta, Rhodomelaceae)

Abstract

The aim of this work is a taxonomic review of the Polysiphonia sensu lato species from the Chilean coast between 18ºS and 41ºS, regarding the morphological characters recently accepted by Stuercke and Freshwater such as: habit of the plants, number of pericentral cells, rhizoids-pericentral cells connection, relationship of lateral branches to trichoblasts, spermatangial axes development and arrangement of tetrasporangia. So far, eight species of this genus have been identified: P. abscissa; P. curta; P. mollis; P. pacifica and P. scopulorum var. villum are previously reported for this coast. P. brodiaei and P. isogona are new findings for this area. Finally one species, Polysiphonia sp. which does not fit with any other Polysiphonia species described so far, consequently might be a new species for the science. The geographic distribution and taxonomic relationship for each taxa, at global level are also discussed. This is the first study on Polysiphonia genus in Chile including a critical analysis.