Lamprothamnium in Australia (Characeae, Charophyceae)

Charophytes in the genus Lamprothamnium exhibit a large amount of diversity, particularly in the examples from Australia, although little of that variation has been recognised at species level in the past. The Australian members of the genus are revised here on the basis of extensive new collections, examination of specimens in herbaria and comprehensive review of the literature and available type material. The existing species Lamprothamnium macropogon (A.Braun) Ophel, L. inflatum (Fil. & G.O.Allen ex Fil.) A.Garcia & Karol and L. heraldii A.Garcia & Casanova are retained, eight new species are described (L. australicum Casanova, L. beilbyae Casanova, L. capitatum Casanova, L. compactum Casanova, L. coorongense Casanova, L. diminutum Casanova, L. macroanthum Casanova and L. stipitatum Casanova) and two taxa variously treated at infraspecific rank in Lychnothamnus are transferred to Lamprothamnium at species rank (L. cockajemmyense Casanova, L. tasmanicum (A.Braun) Casanova). Neither L. papulosum (Wallr.) J.Groves nor L. succinctum (A.Braun) R.D.Wood are confirmed for Australia after examination of the type material of these species. Species are distinguished by the arrangement of the gametangia, morphology of the fertile whorls and characteristics of the oospores. Four of these species are dioecious and nine are monoecious, which supports published conjectures concerning the biogeography of charophyte species (Proctor (1980): J. Phycol. 16, 218-233, doi:10.1111/j.1529-8817.1980.tb03023.x).