Nostoc album N.L.Gardner
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Authority
Gardner, Nathaniel L. 1927. New Myxophyceae from Porto Rico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 7: 1-144. pl. 1-23.
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Family
Nostocaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Thallus spherical, up to 500 µ diam., very smooth on the surface; trichomes tortuous, but not congested, bright olive-green to violet; cells subspherical or dolioform, very finely granular; heterocysts spherical, 6-7.4 µ diam., single, fairly abundant; tegument almost transparent, firm.
Distribution and Ecology - Growing among moss near a stream in the vicinity of Maricao, no. 1149, type.
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Discussion
It is possible that the above-described new species of Nostoc may be the juvenile stage of another species. The colonies are in all stages of development from short filaments with only a few cells to colonies up to one-half millimeter in diameter. There is considerable indication that the largest colonies are nearing maturity, as some of them show the formation of hormogonia. I was unable to discover any resting cells, but the fact that among the numerous very young colonies there is no indication that any of them originated from resting cells leads me to conclude that possibly there is no formation of single resting cells and that reproduction takes place only by formation of hormogonia. More observations on the life history of the organism will be necessary to establish its specific status.