Propagules of marine macroalgae: Structure and development

Abstract

The propagules of macroalgae consist principally of the unicellular products of sexual or asexual processes such as zygotes, parthenogenetic gametes, and spores formed as a result of meiosis and/or mitosis. They have several essential functions in the life history of a species, being the means of dispersal, settlement, attachment, survival and the initiation of new individuals. All major structural characters of macroalgal propagules can be related to one or more of these functions. This paper reviews the structural diversity and functional significance of propagules in marine macroalgae with special reference to cell size, flagella, endomembrane systems, mucilage, chloroplasts, energy reserves, and physodes (in brown algae). Multicellular vegetative propagules are not considered.