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Udotea flabellum (J.Ellis & Sol.) M.Howe

Reference
Bull.Torrey Bot.Club 31:94 (1904)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current
Image

Scientific Description

Habit and structure. Thallus upright, green, moderately calcified, above ground portion to 15 cm tall, with a terete stalk and flabellate to cuneate or much divided distal region, arising from a large bulbous holdfast often equal in length to exposed frond, composed of filaments that bind sand particles. Stipe composed of branched filaments bearing lateral appendages similar to those of the blade, but additionally with numerous rhizoidal filaments 25–40 µm in diameter. Blade multistratose, with subparallel terete primary filaments 35–60 µm in diameter, bearing much branched lateral appendages 150–400 µm long, these digitate, slightly constricted 25–30 µm above the base, imbricate and forming a pseudocortex.

Distribution. Widespread in tropical regions. In N W. Aust., south to the Montebello Is.

Habitat. Generally in sand in the shallow subtidal.

John Huisman & Cheryl Parker, 3 August 2021

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Carnarvon, Dampierland, Northern Kimberley, Pilbara.
IBRA Subregions
Cape Range, Mitchell, Pindanland, Roebourne.
IMCRA Regions
Canning, Kimberley, Pilbara (nearshore), Pilbara (offshore), Shark Bay.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Ashburton, Broome, Carnarvon, Karratha, Wyndham-East Kimberley.