TWO
KINDS
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TWO
KINDS
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Traditionally, corallines have been divided into two groups, although this division
does
not constitute a taxonomic grouping:
the geniculate (articulated) corallines;
the non-geniculate (non-articulated) corallines.
Geniculate corallines
are branching, tree-like plants which are attached to the substratum by crustose or
calcified, root-like holdfasts. The plants are made flexible by having non-calcified
sections (genicula) separating longer calcified sections
intergenicula). Nongeniculate corallines range from a few microns
to several centimetres thick crusts. They are often very slow growing, and may occur on rock, coral skeletons, shells, other
algae or seagrasses. Crusts may be thin and leafy to thick and
strongly adherent. Some are parasitic or partly endophytic on
other corallines. Many coralline crusts produce knobby
protuberances ranging from a millimetre to several centimetres high. Some are
free-living as rhodoliths (rounded, free-living
specimens).
Recent molecular information ..... COMING SOON!!!!!!!
Derek Keats,
updated 02/01/01
