Marine Botany

Pugetia fragilissima & Pugetia firma

Glossary

Auxiliary Cell- a cell in the female gametophyte where the nucleus of a fertilized zygote is transferred.

Benthic- attached or lying upon the seafloor

Carpogonium (pl. carpogonia)- the cell in which the egg nucleus develops and is fertilized.

Carpospores- diploid spores produces by carposporophyte generation which develop into the tetrasporophyte generation

Carposporophyte- diploid generation produced from the fertilization of the egg, which is limited to tissue growing on the haploid gametophyte generation.

Cortex- outer layer of cells. Usually pigmented and smaller than the inner medulla cells.

Cruciate- the shape of a cross. Pugetia's tetraspores are four cells that look like a cross and are thus cruciate.

Diploid- containing two copies of each chromosome

Endophytic- growing within a plant or alga

Epiphytic- growing on another plant or alga

Epizoic-growing on an animal

Fusion cell- the cell produces when an auxiliary cell fuses with its neighbors

Gametangial- related to the gametophyte generation

Gametophyte- haploid, gamete producing generation

Gonimoblast- a filament of the carposporophyte in red algae that bears the carpospores

Haplodiplontic- Having a life history that includes both haploid and diploid phases

Haploid-containing one set of chromosomes

Isodiametric- cells with a relatively equal diameter in all planes

Isomorphic- same morphology for all stages of life cycle

Medulla- cells found in the central core of multicellular algae.

Multiaxial- no clear center axis, but rather lots of filaments, arranged without a concentration around the center.

Nonprocarpial- auxiliary cell is not connected to the carpogonial branches

Oogamy- female gamete is non-motile egg cell

Pit Plugs- small cytoplasm connection between cells in many red algae. May help with nutrient exchange.

Ploidy- refers to the number of sets of chromosomes. In Pugetia, the ploidy can be either haploid (n) or diploid (2n).

Spermatia- nonmotile male gametes in red algae

Supporting Cell- cell that bears one or more carpagonial branches.

Syngamy- sexual reproduction by union of gametes

Tetraspore- one of four haploid cells produced by the tetrasporophyte, it develops into gametophyte generation.

Tetrasporophyte- Diploid generation in Rhodophyta derived from carpospore. Produces tetraspores.

Thallus (pl. thalli)-an organism's body (algae or fungi), not differentiated into roots, stems, leaves

Trichogyne-extention off the carpogonia to collect spermatia.

Triphasic- three phase life history. In Rhodophyta this includes the gametophyte generation, the carposporophyte generation and the tetrasporophyte generation.

Thylakoid- saclike membranous structure in plastids of algae where the processes of photosynthesis occur.

Uniaxial-having one axis with one apical cell at its tip.

Upwelling- surfacing of deeper, often cold and nutrient rich water, due to wind movement.

~Most of these definitions come from Paul Gabrielson, et al. (2004) ~

© 2005 Laure Sierra Katz.
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If you have any questions, comments or happy ocean stories
please email me at laurek@stanford.edu

Last updated: Oct. 21, 2005