Spiky chandelier algae
| Spiky chandelier algae | ||||||||||||
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Spiky chandelier alga ( Nitella mucronata ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Nitella mucronata | ||||||||||||
| ( A.Braun ) Miquel , 1840 |
The Stachelspitzige Glanzleuchteralge ( Nitella mucronata ) is a monoecious representatives of stoneworts (Characeae).
Occurrence
The prickly luster algae grows preferentially at a depth of 1 to 2 m in meso to eutrophic lakes, the bottom of which has a comparatively high content of organic matter. Such stagnant bodies of water are mostly found within wooded areas where the leaf litter is blown into the water. However, it can also be found in smaller ponds of flat bogs and, less often, in flowing waters. Unlike other candelabra algae, it prefers slightly higher pH values of 6.8 to 7.3.
The prickly luster algae occurs only in Europe and parts of North Africa and the Middle East . It reaches its northernmost distribution limit in Norway , its southernmost in Morocco and Algeria and its easternmost in Turkey . In some parts of Europe it is relatively widespread in stagnant waters. However , it is absent in some mountain regions and in the French Massif Central . Their stocks in Germany are currently falling slightly.
Identifying features
The prickly luster alga only grows up to 30 cm, but is very branched. It appears shiny and is dark to blackish green in color. Only its young shoots appear fresh green. Like other species of the genus Nitella , it has no bark, stipulars or spines.
Their shoot reaches a diameter of up to 1.2 mm and forms internodes that are almost as long as the branches. The branches are divided several times and often lean far apart. There are six of them in the whorl, are up to 6 cm long and often divided into 3 or 4 rays once or twice, with the uppermost branches arranged like a funnel. Each branch has a two-celled, short end member at the tip, the end cell of which is formed into a narrow spiked tip. In each whisk there is always a short and a long side shoot.
The gametangia forms the prickly luster algae from summer to autumn. They are located on both the first and the second branch points of the branches. The oogon is about 0.5 mm long and 0.35 mm wide and has 7 to 9 turns. The envelope cells at the tip of the oogonia are often elongated into a beak-like appendage. The yellow-brown or dark-brown colored oospore is about 0.5 mm long and 0.25 mm wide and has 6 to 8 distinct ribs. The spherical antheridium is about 0.26 mm in diameter and is very inconspicuous.
literature
- Werner Krause, Hanuš Ettl , Georg Gärtner, H. Heynig, D. Mollenhauer: Freshwater flora of Central Europe. Volume 18: Charales (Charophyceae) . - Gustav Fischer Verlag, 1997. ISBN 3-437-25056-6
Web links
- Nitella mucronata inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Posted by: Mani, S., 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2013.