T A N E 20 1974

ADDITIONS TO THE FRESHWATER ALGAE OF NEW ZEALAND - II

SOME VAUCHERIA FROM SLIPPER ISLAND

Pranjit Sarma*

SUMMARY

Six species of Vaucheria from freshwater habitats on Slipper Island are described in this note along with their distribution. An artificial key is provided for their identification. Of these six species, V. aversa Hassal, V. sessiles (Vauch.) DC. f. repens Hassal and V. terrestris sensu Gotz are recorded for the first time from New Zealand, and V. undulata Jao is probably the first record from the Southern Hemisphere.

INTRODUCTION

There is no published record of any freshwater algae ever collected from Slipper Island. In fact very little information is available about the freshwater algal flora of the off-shore islands of New Zealand. Chapman et a l 5 , in the first check list of New Zealand freshwater algae have listed a few algae from Auckland Island, Great Barrier Island, Hen Island, Little Barrier Island, Kapiti Island, Mayor Island, Rangitoto Island and Waiheke Island. Apart from the recent record of three species of Vaucheria from Great Barrier Island 1 6 no species of this genus has been recorded from any of the off-shore islands of New Zealand.

During the last scientific trip organized by the Auckland University Field Club (August 18-25, 1973), a large number of algal samples were collected from the swamps, streams and soil, and from subaerial habitats of Slipper, Rabbit, Shoe and Penguin Islands. It is interesting that all six species of Vaucheria described in this communication come from such a small area as Slipper Island (Area — about 500 acres only).

So far only five species of Vaucheria are known from freshwater habitats in New Zealand (for details of the earlier literature see Sarma1 6). In the present communication six taxa of Vaucheria are described, four being new records for New Zealand and the other two being new distribution records within New Zealand. Unless otherwise mentioned the descriptions and diagrams included herein are based on Slipper Island material.

*Botany Department, University of Auckland.

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DESCRIPTION OF T H E SPECIES

These six species fall into two different Sections:

Section Tubuligerae Walz 1. V . aversa Hassal (Figs. 1, 3, 18, 19, & 21). (Blum 3 , p.12, fig. 31; Rieth 1 4 , p.291-97,

figs. 1-4; Saxena 1 8, p.23, fig. 3; Venkataraman19 p.65, fig. 43). Vegetative filament 70-80/U diameter; monoecious; oogonia sessile, one to few, variable in shape to some extent, mostly sub-spherical, with a bent downward-directed or reflexed beak which is sometimes parallel to the filament and directed towards the base of the oogonium, horizontally 100-150/U, vertically 140T45/U, wall with very faint wavy markings; oospore not filling the oogonium, occupying the position away from the beak, mostly spherical, 75-106/U x 79-119/i, membrane few (three?) -layered; antheridia usually on both sides of oogonia, cylindric, directed towards oogonia, mostly parallel to the filaments, 21-31/U diameter. This is the first record of the species from New Zealand. COLLECTION NOS. P. Sarma temp. No. 15 & 16, August 20, 1973, as light green filaments floating in stagnant water and brownish filaments lodged on the blades of an aquatic grass in a small pool towards Southern Bay; No. 4, August 21, 1973 as light green soft filaments floating and lodged in the southern swamp; No. 5, August 23, 1973 as light green filaments on mud in the northern swamp; Slipper Island. DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE NEW Z E A L A N D : China, Denmark, England, India (first record by Biswas1, p. 79), Japan, South America and United States including Alaska.

Section Corniculatae Walz Sub-Section: Sessiles Walz 2. V . pachyderma Walz (Figs. 6, 17, 27 & 28)

(Blum 3 (as V. dillwynii (Weber & Mohr) C.Ag.)P. 15, figs. 14-16; Gauthier-Lievre10, p. 320, pi. l,figs. 3-7; Hoppaugh 1 1, p. 334, pi. 24, figs. 6 & 7; Venkataraman 1 9, p. 66, fig. 44.) Vegetative filaments 79-97/U diameter; monoecious; oogonium borne singly, sessile, globose or ellipsoid, long axis parallel to the filament, with a distinct beak opening towards the filament, horizontally 136-150U vertically 110-124JU; wall distinctly 'rugose' (for detail see Sarma and Chapman 1 7); ooxpore filling the oogonium, horizontally 127-137U, vertically 101-115/i, wall thick, multi-layered, outermost layer finely 'verrucose'; antheridium develops near the oogonium, borne at the end of s short curved stalk, saccate or short-cylindric, 30-39/U diameter.

A smaller form of this species was recorded previously from Great Barrier Island. COLLECTION NO: P. Sarma temp. No 6, 18th August, 1973, green felty filaments on dark soil towards Southern Bay, Slipper Island. DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE NEW Z E A L A N D : Algeria, Bangladesh, China, Denmark, England, Japan, Morocco, South America, and the United States.

3. V . sessiles (Vauch.) DC forma repens(Hass.)Hansg. (Figs. 2, 4, 5, 15 & 16). (Blum 3 (as V. repens Hassal), p. 15, figs. 36 & 37; Gauthier-LiSvre10, p.322, pi. 3, fig. 28; Hoppaugh 1 1, p. 336, pi. 24, fig. 2; Jao 1 2 , p. 739, pi. 1, fig. 5; Venkataraman , p. 70, f. 46b.)

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Vegetative filaments 44-62jU diameter; monoecious; oogonia usually single, sometimes in pair, sessile, obliquely ovoid, 61-75/7 broad, 88-97/U long with a beak parallel to the filament and towards the antheridium; oospores 60-71/U x 79-88/U, filling the oogonium except for the beak, wall thick, triple (?) - layered; antheridium develops near the oogonium or sometimes independently (Fig. 2), circinate on a curved stalk, 17-25/7 diameter. This is the first record of this form from New Zealand. COLLECTION NO: P. Sarma temp. No. 9, August 20, 1973, as green soft filaments on mud in a slowly flowing stream towards Southern Bay, Slipper Island. DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE NEW Z E A L A N D : Algeria, China, Europe, South Africa, the United States and possibly cosmopolitan.

Sub-Section Racemosae Walz 4. V . geminata (Vauch.) DC. (Figs. 7, 8, 10, 24 & 25)

(Blum 3, p. 21, figs. 57; Forest 9, p.354, f. 536; Gauthier-Lievre10, p. 327, pi. 4, fig, 46-49; Jao 1 2 , p.740, pi. 2, figs. 10 & 11; Rieth 1 5 , p.145-151, figs. 23a& 254; Saxena 1 8, p.39, fig. 15; Venkataraman19, p.83, fig. 60a). Vegetative filament 75-110/i diameter; monoecious; fruiting branches 70-80/i diameter and of varying length (96-194/U) bearing two oogonia and a central circinate antheridium; oogonia on short stalks, bending upwards, sub-ellipsoid, slightly curved at one side, 65-71/U x 77-81/U; oospores completely filling the oogonia, 62-70/U x 75-79/U antheridium 26-31/i diameter.

This species has been recorded previously from Middlemore pool, Auckland5. COLLECTION NO: P. Sarma temp. No 14, August 20, 1973, as green coarse filament in stagnant water near Southern Bay. DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE NEW ZEALAND: Algeria, China, Denmark, England, France, Greenland, India, Japan and the United States.

5. V. terrestris sensu Gbtz (Figs. 9, 11, 12, 14, 20 & 26). (Blum 2, p. 490-92, figs. 43-53; Blum 3 (as V. frigida (Roth) C. Ag.), p. 19, figs. 44 & 45; Forest9, p.356, fig. 539; Gauthier-Lievre10, p. 323, pi. 3, fig. 33-36; Rieth 1 5 , p. 151-158, pi. 26 & 33; Venkataraman19 (as V. terrestris Lyngb. em. Walz), p. 76, fig. 53). Vegetative filaments 31-49/U diameter; monoecious; fruiting branch 18/U diameter and of varying length (61-106/J) bearing a single oogonium and a lateral (morphologically terminal) curved antheridium; oogonium bending downwards, ovoid with curve at one side and with a little distal prominence, 45-53/J x 52-7 l/U; oospore completely filling the oogonium, 40-50/7 x 51-64/U; antheridium 17-22/J diameter. This is the first definite record of the species from New Zealand. Professor Berggren collected one species from Blue Skin Bay which was identified by Nordstiedt13 (p. 22) as near to V. terrestris (Vauch.) Lyngb. COLLECTION NO: P. Sarma No. 9, August 20, 1973, as green soft filaments on mud in a slowly flowing stream towards Southern Bay, Slipper Island. DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE NEW ZEALAND: Algeria, Australia, Belgium, China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greenland, Holland, India, Java, Norway, Sweden, and the United States including Alaska.

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6. V. undulata Jao (Figs. 13, 22 & 23) (Blum 2, p. 493; Blum 3 , p. 19, figs. 30; Gauthier-Lievre10 p. 324, pi. 3, fig. 39; Jao 1 2 , p. 741, pi. 3, figs. 12 & 13; Venkataraman1 9, p. 75, fig. 51). Vegetative filaments undulate, 32-34/i diameter; monoecious; fruiting branch of the same diameter as main filament, bearing at the tip one or sometimes two oogonia and a curved antheridium; oogonium more or less ovoid (in this material), curved at one side, bending downwards, 44-47/j x 52-55jU; oospore completely filling the oogonium, 43 x 5 lju; antheridium 17-21/K diameter. This is the first record of the species from New Zealand. COLLECTION NO: Appeared in the maintenance culture of the following sample: P. Sarma temp. No 6, August 18, 1973 as green felty filaments on the dark soil towards Southern Bay, Slipper Island. DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE NEW Z E A L A N D : Algeria, China, Central Africa and the United States including Alaska.

The Slipper Island species of Vaucheria can be easily identified with the help of the following artificial key:

1. Sex-organs borne on secondary branches arising perpendicular to the main filament 2

1. Sex-organs borne directly on the main filament 4 2. Veg. thallus, at least in part undulate V.undulata Jao 2. Veg. thallus not so 3

3. Oogonia in pairs, directed upwards with a central circinate antheridium V. geminata (Vauch.) DC.

3. Oogonium single, bending downwards with an apparently lateral circinate an­theridium V . terrestris sensu Gotz 4. Oogonial wall smooth, beak not horizontal or pointed downwards

V . sessilis (Vauch.) DC. f. repens Hass. 4. Oogonial wall not smooth, beak either horizontal or pointed downwards 5

5. Oospore completely filling the oogonium, oogonial wall distinctly 'rugged' (for details see Sarma & Chapman1 7) V . pachyderma Walz

5. Oospore not filling the oogonium, oosowaiwall with very faint wavy markings r. V. aversa Hass.

DISCUSSION

Of the six species of Vaucheria described here V. terrestris sensu Gotz and V. undulata Jao are less common than the others. All of these six species have also been collected from both North and South Islands. (Detailed treatment along with their distribution record in New Zealand will be made in a separate communication). The Slipper Island specimens of V. terrestris sensu G5tz and V. undulata Jao seem to be much smaller in size in all respects but they fit quite well with the characteristic shape of the species concerned. It is considered that in taxonomic studies 'size' should be given less importance, as the variation in size is more an ecological than a genetical feature. But the 'shape' of the different organs is very characteristic for a particular species and is a genetic expression to which much importance should be attached. In the case of V. undulata Jao one can note that the size of the species described from different countries can vary. For example, American specimens3 are much larger than the original Chinese specimen1 2, whilst the African specimen10

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nearly approaches the size of the Chinese specimen. The Slipper Island specimen is, however, much smaller in dimensions than those described from other countries. Besides, sometimes more than one oogonium may be found in the present sample when it resembles V. hamata sensu Gotz (= V. prond)1 except for the undulate wall of the thallus.

V. pachyderma Walz has been treated by many authors under the Section Globiferae Heidinger. Blum 3 has apparently merged this Section with Corniculatae Walz and placed V. pachyderma Walz (as V. dillwynii (Weber & Mohr) C.A. Ag.) under this Section. V. sessiles (Vauch.) IDC. f. repens Hassal has been treated as a separate species (V. repens Hassal) by some American authors (Blum 3 , p. 15; Brown 4 , p. 94; Collins 8 , p. 345). It differs from V. sessiles (Vauch.) DC. only in its smaller dimensions and in the slightly different position of its beak. These differences, however, do not sufficiently justify treating the form as a separate species.

The faintly marked nature of the oogonial wall in V. aversa Hassal collected from China has been pointed out by Rie th 1 4 (1963, p. 294, fig. 0). It is interesting to record that, similar markings on the oogonial wall have been observed in New Zealand material (Figs. 1 & 3).

Christensen6 (p. 16 & 26) has pointed out that the correct name of V. terrestris sensu Gotz and of V. sessiles-complex (including V. repens Hassal) should be V. frigida(Roth)C. Ag. and V. bursata (O.F. Mull.) C. Ag. respectively. As these taxa are recorded for the first time from New Zealand, the more traditional names have been preferred for the time being.

So far as the author is aware, the occurrence of V. undulata Jao in New Zealand is probably the first record of this species from the Southern Hemisphere.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author is very grateful to Professor V . J . Chapman for critically reading and correcting the manuscript and for his constant encouragement during the course of this investigation. He is also grateful to the Commonwealth Scholarship Committee, Wellington, for the grants which enabled him to do research work at the University of Auckland. Finally he would like to thank the members of the Auckland University Field Club who organized the trip to Slipper, Rabbit, Shoe, and Penguin Islands.

REFERENCES

'Biswas, K. 1949: Common fresh and brackish water algal flora of India and Burma. Bull. Bot. Surv. India, 15, pt. I: 1-105.

Blum, J.L. 1953 The racemose Vaucheriaceae with inclined or pendant oogonia. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 80 (6) : 478-497.

3 Blum, J.L. \912~North American flora,Series 2, Part 8, Vaucheriaceae: 1-64. 4Brown, H.J. 1929: The algal family Vaucheriacae. Trans. Am. Microsc. Soc. 48 : 86-117.

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5Chapman, V .J . , Segar, E.C.M. & Thompson, R.H. 1957: Check list of the freshwater algae of New Zealand. Trans. Roy. Soc. N.Z. 84(4): 695-747.

6Christensen, T. 1969: Vaucheria collections from Vaucher's region. Kong. Danske Vidensk. Selsk. Biol. Skr. 16 : 1-36.

7Christensen, T. 1970: Vaucheria prona, a new name for a common alga. Bot. Tidsskr. 65 (3): 245-251.

"Collins, F.S. 1909: The Green Algae of North America. Tufts Coll, Studies Sci. Ser. 2 : 79-480 (reprinted and repaged by G.E. Stechert, New York, 1928).

9Forest, H.S. 1954: "Handbook of algae" University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville. 467 pp. 10Gauthier-Lievre, L. 1955: Le genre Vaucheria en Afrique du Nord. Bull. Soc. Hist.

Nat. Afr. Nord 46: 309-339. nHoppaugh, K.W. 1930: A taxonomic study of species of the genus Vaucheria collected in

California, Am.J. Bot. 17 : 329-347. 12

Jao, C.C. 1936: Studies on the freshwater algae of China II. Vaucheriaceae from Szechwan. Sinensia 7 : 730-747.

1 3Nordstedt, O. 1888: Freshwater algae collected by Dr S. Berggren in New Zealand and Australia. Kongl. Svensk. Veten. -Akad. Handl. 22 (8) : 1-98.

1 4 Rieth, A. 1963: Die Algen der chinesisch-deutschen biologischen Sammelneise durch Nord und Nordostchina 1956 I Die Vaucheriaceen. 1. Teil. Limnologia 1. (4) : 287-313.

l s Reith, A. 1965: Die Algen der chinesisch-deutschen biologischen Sammelneise durch Nord und Nordostchina 1956.1 Die Vaucheriaceen. 2. Teil. Limnologia 3 (2) : 139-162.

1 6 Sarma, P. 1973: Addition to the freshwater algae of New Zealand - 1. A note on the species of Vaucheria from Great Barrier Island. Tane 19 : 167-173.

1 7Sarma, P. & Chapman, V.J . Light and scanning electron microscopic study of Vaucheria pachyderma Walz collected from Auckland, New Zealand (communicated).

l 8Saxena, P.N. 1962: Algae of India - 2. Vaucheriaceae. Bull. Nat. Bot. Gardens No. 70: 1-51.

19Venkataraman, G.S. 1961: "Vaucheriaceae" Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, 112 pp.

CORRIGENDA

Corrigendum for: "Addition to the freshwater algae of New Zealand - I. A note on the species of Vaucheria from Great Barrier Island." Tane 19 : 167-73. 1973. The figures are to be captioned and re-arcanged as follows: p. 170 Fig. 9 - upper left hand corner

Fig. 10 - lower right hand corner Fig. 11 - lower left hand corner Fig. 12 - upper right hand comer

Same page: Fig. 9 V. hamata (Vauch.) DC. x 150 (not x 200) Fig. 10 V. iaoi Ley x 600 (not x 800) Fig. 11 V. hamata (Vauch.) DC. x 240 (not x 325) Fig. 12 V. iaoi Ley x 300 (not x 540)

p.171 The lower photograph should bear the caption for Fig. 13 and the upper photograph should bear the caption for Fig. 14.

D.l 72 Under 'References': Blum instead of Blume.

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EXPLANATION OF FIGURES

A PLATE 1

Figs. 1 & 3 V. avj/rsa Hassal Figs 2,4 & 5 V. sessiles (Vauch.) DC. f. repens Hassal 2 - a solitary

antheridium; 4 - an oospore with thick stratified wall; 5 - an immatured oogonium.

Fig. 6 V. pachyderma Walz

PLATE 2 Figs 7, 8 & 10 V. geminata (Vauch.) DC.

8 - an antheridium; 7 & 10 - fruiting branches with both antheridium and a pair of oogonia.

Figs 9, 11, 12 & 14 V. terrestris sensu Gotz 9 & 14 - fruiting branches with antheridium and oogonium; 11 & 12 - showing solitary antheridium.

Fig. 13 V. undulata Jao

P L A T E 3 Figs 15-16 V. sessiles (Vauch.) DC. f. repens Hassal x 325 Fig. 17 V. pachyderma Walz x 540

P L A T E 4 Fig. 18 & 19 V. aversa Hassal

18 — an immature oogonium and two antheridia; 19 - showing oospore and 2 antheridia. All x 325

PLATE 5 Fig. 20 V. terrestris sensuu Gotz x 480 Fig. 21 V. aversa Hassal - an oogonium showing fine wavy markings on

the wall, x 540 PLATE 6

Figs 22 & 23 V. undulata Jao. 22 - a fruiting branch x 200 23 - showing vegetative thallus with undulate wall, x 135

P L A T E 7 Figs 24 & 25 V. geminata (Vauch.) DC.

24 — showing proliferation of the fruiting branch; 25 - normal fruiting branch with an antheridium and a pair of oogonia. All x 200

Fig. 26 V. terrestris sensu Gotz x 325

PLATE 8 Figs 27 & 28 Scanning electron micrographs of the oogonium of V.

pachyderma (These two photographs are taken from the specimens collected from Auckland). 27 - view from the side x 760; 28 - view from the top x 960.

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