Gracilaria cornea J.Agardh

Resendiz, María Luisa Núñez, Dreckmann, Kurt M., Sentíes, Abel, Wynne, Michael J. & Tejera, Hilda León, 2019, Marine red algae (Rhodophyta) of economic use in the algal drifts from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, Phytotaxa 387 (3), pp. 219-240 : 232

Gracilaria cornea J.Agardh

Thallus cartilaginous, dark red or greenish, 8–30 cm long, with cylindrical axes in cross section, 600–1200 μm in diameter. Main axes branching laterally or sometimes pseudodichotomousy; branches without constrictions, with smooth surfaces ( Fig. 39 ). Pseudoparenchymatous organization, with a gradual transition between medulla and cortex ( Fig. 40 ). Medulla with 14–18 layers of irregular cells, 80–150 μm x 120–340 μm in diameter. Subcortex with three layers of rounded cells, 40–55 μm in diameter. Cortex with 1–2 layers of ovoid cells, pigmented, 4–7 μm x 8–12 μm in diameter. Tetrasporangia cruciately divided, elongated, 25–30 μm in diameter ( Fig. 41 ).

Figures

FIGURES 39–50. 39–41. Gracilaria cornea. 39. Habit. Scale bar = 4 cm. 40. Medullary and cortical cells. Scale bar = 250 μm. 41. Tetrasporangia in cortex. Scale bar = 30 μm. 42–43. Gracilaria flabelliformis. 42. Habit. Scale bar = 1.5 cm. 43. Medullary and cortical cells. Scale bar = 260 μm. 44–45. Gracilaria mammillaris. 44. Habit. Scale bar = 2 cm. 45. Medullary and cortical cells, and a mature cystocarp. Scale bar = 200 μm. 46–48. Gracilaria microcarpa. 46. Habit. Scale bar = 3 cm. 47. Medullary and cortical cells. Scale bar = 130 μm. 48. Mature cystocarp. Scale bar = 60 μm. 49–50. Gracilaria tikvahiae. 49. Habit. Scale bar = 2 cm. 50. Medullary and cortical cells. Scale bar = 130 μm.