''Gelidiella calcicola'' is a rare seaweed species in the Rhodophyta, described for the first time in 1988.

Botanical description

''Gelidiella calcicola'' is a small creeping alga that forms prostrate low-growing tufts on the surface of

calcareous Calcareous () is an adjective meaning "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate", in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines. In zoology ''Calcareous'' is used as an ad ...

substrata. The narrow compressed axes form peg-like rhizoidal attachment organs, and the axes branch laterally to form irregular pinnate branches. There are no true erect axes since all branches are in an horizontal plane. The axes which grow up at first always curve down and re-attach. They grow to at least long and are dark reddish brown. The species is very rare and may be under-recorded; it is sublittoral and not easily determined.

Similar species

'' Gelidium pusillum'' is common in the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

and is similar in structure however it branches regularly and the production of

tetraspore Tetraspores are red algae spores produced by the tetrasporophytic (diploid) phase in the life history of algae in the Rhodophyta as a result of meiosis.Jones, W.E. Revised and reprinted 1964. A Key to the genera of the British seaweeds.''Field Stu ...

s in stichnidia is different as is the internal structure when studied microscopically.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5530439 Species described in 1988 Gelidiales