''Mastophora'' is a genus of thalloid

alga Algae ( , ; : alga ) is an informal term for any organisms of a large and diverse group of photosynthetic organisms that are not plants, and includes species from multiple distinct clades. Such organisms range from unicellular microalgae, suc ...

comprising four species. The dimerous, crustose thalli comprise two groups of filaments. The bulk of the thallus is made of erect filaments, which may be one or many cells long. These grow approximately perpendicular to the filaments of a basal layer, usually one cell thick.

haustoria In botany and mycology, a haustorium (plural haustoria) is a rootlike structure that grows into or around another structure to absorb water or nutrients. For example, in mistletoe or members of the broomrape family, the structure penetrates th ...

, and

palisade cell Palisade cell, also called palisade mesophyll cell are plant cells located inside the mesophyll of most green leaves. They are vertically elongated and are stacked side by side, in contrast to the irregular and loosely arranged spongy mesophyll ...

sare present in the organisms but lack secondary

pit connection In algal anatomy, a pit connection is a hole in the septum between two algal cells, and is found only in multicellular red algae − specifically in the subphylum Eurhodophytina, except haploid Bangiales. They are often stoppered with proteinaceous ...

s. ''Mastophora'' reproduces by means of

conceptacle Conceptacles are specialized cavities of marine and freshwater algae that contain the reproductive organs. They are situated in the receptacle and open by a small ostiole.Boney, A.D. (1969). ''A Biology of Marine Algae''. Hutchinson Educational ...

s; it produces tetraspores and dispores.

Species

The valid species currently considered to belong to this genus are: *'' Mastophora laevis'' *'' Mastophora pacifica'' *''

Mastophora rosea ''Mastophora'' may refer to: * Mastophora (spider), ''Mastophora'' (spider), a genus of bolas spiders * Mastophora (alga), ''Mastophora'' (alga), a red alga genus in the subfamily Mastophoroideae {{genus disambiguation ...

'' *''

Mastophora variegata ''Mastophora'' may refer to: * ''Mastophora'' (spider), a genus of bolas spiders * ''Mastophora'' (alga), a red alga genus in the subfamily Mastophoroideae {{genus disambiguation ...

References

External links

Images
of ''Mastophora'' at

Algaebase AlgaeBase is a global species database of information on all groups of algae, both seaweed, marine and freshwater algae, freshwater, as well as sea-grass. History AlgaeBase began in March 1996, founded by Michael D. Guiry, Michael Guiry. Text ...

Corallinaceae Red algae genera {{rhodophyta-stub