New records and observations on two of the rarest Green Algae in the British Isles - Gongrosira scourfieldii and Oocardium stratum

摘要

The British Isles harbours an enormous diversity of freshwater green algae, with over 1000 species recorded [1]. These organisms represent a fascinating group for study by microscopists yet knowledge of their biology, ecology and distribution lags far behind that of most other aquatic organisms. As part of a wider project to gain a better understanding of freshwater algal diversity and conservation issues in the UK, the authors organised a field excursion to South Devon in 2017 to visit the only site of one of the UK's few endemic freshwater algae, namely Gongrosira scourfieldii G. S. West. As part of a wider search of streams in a rather remote area of coast, the rare and unusual calcified desmid Oocardium stratum N?geli was discovered thus adding to the conservation importance of the type site of G. scourfieldii.