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Melobesia subplana Rosenvinge (Corallinales, Rhodophyta) is conspecific with Pneophyllum fragile Kützing
Author(s) -
Wegeberg Susse
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
nordic journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.333
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1756-1051
pISSN - 0107-055X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1756-1051.2001.tb00774.x
Subject(s) - holotype , biology , botany , type locality , genus , germination , epiphyte , zoology
The epiphytic species Melobesia subplana erected by Rosenvinge in 1917, has for years been without a verified genus affiliation, because the holotype material did not possess crucial generic information, namely spore germination disc patterns. The species was based on Danish material and collection of new material at the type locality was carried out. Accordance of the holotype and the new material allowed an epitype to be established. Examination of the epitype showed an eight‐celled spore germination disc, which verified an ealier suggestion of the species belonging to the genus Pneophyllym. The material, upon which Rosenvinge based M. subplana , was already identified by Foslie as Melobesia lejolisii Rosanoff. However, Rosenvinge found the Danish material to differ so much from M. lejolisii , that he chose to erect the new species. M. lejolisii is now considered homospecific with Pneophyllum fragile Kützing. Comparative studies of the anatomy and reproductive structures of M. subplana and P. fragile revealed concordancy between the two species, and M. subplana is thus considered conspecific with P. fragile.