Nitella nitida Casanova & Karol, 2023

Casanova, Michelle T. & Karol, Kenneth G., 2023, Charophytes of Australia’s Northern Territory - II. Tribe Nitelleae, Australian Systematic Botany 36 (4), pp. 322-353 : 343

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.1071/SB22029

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10904357

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A70387E4-943C-2756-7EDB-29AF4C90FA2D

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Nitella nitida Casanova & Karol
status

sp. nov.

Nitella nitida Casanova & Karol , sp. nov.

Type: Manton Dam Recreation Area , 0.45 m depth, 5 Sep. 2010, M. T. Casanova & B. M. Atkinson r754 (holo: DNA!; iso: MEL!, NY!) .

Dioecious. Plants with uneven spreading branchlet whorls; up to 15 cm high; with reproductive structures on shorter whorls ( Fig. 12 a, d View Fig ). Axes up to 350 µm wide; internodes up to 30 mm long, approximately as long as the branchlet whorls except in the fertile parts. Fertile branchlets 7 or 8 in a whorl, the male whorls more contracted and shorter than the sterile whorls ( Fig. 12 b View Fig ); females similar to the sterile whorls ( Fig. 12 f View Fig ). Primary segments on male branchlets up to 10 mm long, longer on female branchlets; secondary segments 3–6, some of them dactyls, 0.1–0.3 mm long; the shorter ones divided into up to 6 tertiary segments, up to 0.3 mm long; sterile branchlets 7 or 8 in a whorl, up to 20 mm long, with long primary segments and often more furcate than fertile branchlets; primary segments up to 13 mm long, unevenly furcate into 3–7 secondary segments which are 4–8 mm long; some again divided into 3–8 tertiary segments, up to 5 mm long ( Fig. 12 g View Fig ). Fertile dactyls 3–7; bicellulate, the end-cell shortly conical and acute, confluent with the end of the penultimate cell ( Fig. 12 c View Fig ). Sterile dactyls similar to fertile but often longer. Heads not formed, however the fertile whorls are often well separated along the upper axes. Gametangia on separate plants; antheridia single and central at the final 1 or 2 furcations ( Fig. 12 g View Fig ); oosporangia single, lateral to the final 1 or 2 fertile branchlet nodes. Oosporangia up to 500 µm long, 300 µm wide with 7 helical stripes ( Fig. 12 e View Fig ); coronula up to 30 µm high, the upper cells shorter than the lower cells. Oospores 230–250 µm long × 200–210 µm wide with 5 or 6 flanges; the flanges mostly free of ornamentation, 10–20 µm high ( Fig. 12 h View Fig ); ornamentation verrucate-papillate ( Fig. 12 i View Fig ), that is small papillae arising from the verrucae, nippled ( Fig. 12 j View Fig ). Antheridia up to 100 µm in diameter ( Fig. 12 c View Fig ). Chromosome numbers not known.

Taxonomic notes

The oospores of this new species are very similar to those of a specimen collected in 1887 ( W. A.Persieh 48, BM!) and labelled Nitella polyglochin A.Braun ex Nordst. , which was Braun’s collective name for some species related to N. furcata (Roxb. ex Bruzelius) C.Agardh. However , N. polyglochin is described as monoecious, and N. nitida is clearly dioecious (Specimen r754 is male, Specimen r753 is female).

Recognition

This species has interrupted fertile whorls, with very long primary branchlet segments; in some cases, the distal segments appear like little brushes at the tips of the branchlets. This feature is similar to Nitella oollooensis , but in that species the branchlet tips are more uneven and there is a central percurrent branchlet segment. The two can also be distinguished on the basis of oospore ornamentation. Other species of Nitella can be distinguished on the dactyl structure, oospore ornamentation, the presence of abundant mucus or the overall appearance of the branchlet whorls.

Distribution

Nitella nitida was found in shallow water, in the vicinity of Darwin, but quite likely occurs across the wetter parts of the Northern Territory and possibly Queensland.

Etymology

This species is named for Melbourne performer Nitida Atkinson , who was named after Eucalyptus nitida Hook. f. from the Latin nitidus (shining), a suitable name for these taxa and the woman.

Specimens examined

NORTHERN TERRITORY: Manton Dam Recreation Area , 5 Sep. 2010, M. T. Casanova & B. M . Atkinson r753 ( MEL, NY), r744 ( MEL, NY), r757 ( MEL, NY), r762 ( MEL, NY); Fogg Dam, 20 Apr. 1960, R.D.Wood , N. Eddy & A . Wilson 61-4-20-4 ( NY) .

M

Botanische Staatssammlung München

T

Tavera, Department of Geology and Geophysics

B

Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Zentraleinrichtung der Freien Universitaet

MEL

Museo Entomologico de Leon

NY

William and Lynda Steere Herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden

W

Naturhistorisches Museum Wien

A

Harvard University - Arnold Arboretum

BM

Bristol Museum

R

Departamento de Geologia, Universidad de Chile

N

Nanjing University

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Charophyta

Class

Charophyceae

Order

Charales

Family

Characeae

Genus

Nitella

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