AuthorBrook, A.J. & Williamson, D.B.
Year2010
TitleA Monograph on some British Desmids
ISBN978-0-903874-42-7
TypeBook/Report
How CompleteAll the British species known at the time
Source172, 364pp, The Ray Society, London
Illustrations1 painted colour plate and numerous line drawings
Review (by Malcolm Storey)

Covers 67 species of the large genus Closterium, plus a few small related genera of elongate desmids.

Each species is described and illustrated with a set of illustrations to show the range of variation.

There are keys to genera and species.

Errata, Corrigenda & CommentsThe formatting of the keys seems to have gone wrong: they are arranged as indented keys but without the indentation which makes it quite difficult to find the other half (or thirds) of the couplets.
Examine Compound Microscope
Specimen PreparationFresh live material is preferred. (The best preservation methods are beyond the home laboratory.)
Identification difficultyDesmids are highly polymorphic, so it’s best to base identifications on a number of individuals of the same species. To this end, collected material should be extracted by side illumination. Different species often become separated by their phototactic responses.

Notes & PurposeStatusTaxonEnglishClassification
For identificationCurrentClosteriuma genus of desmidsPlantae: Desmidiales: Closteriaceae
For identificationCurrentGeniculariaa genus of desmidsPlantae: Desmidiales: Peniaceae
For identificationCurrentGonatozygona genus of desmidsPlantae: Desmidiales: Peniaceae
For identificationCurrentPeniuma genus of desmidsPlantae: Desmidiales: Peniaceae
For identificationCurrentCylindrocystisa genus of desmidsPlantae: Zygnematales: Mesotaeniaceae
For identificationCurrentMesotaeniuma genus of desmidsPlantae: Zygnematales: Mesotaeniaceae
For identificationCurrentNetriuma genus of desmidsPlantae: Zygnematales: Mesotaeniaceae
For identificationCurrentRoyaa genus of desmidsPlantae: Zygnematales: Mesotaeniaceae
For identificationCurrentSpirotaeniaa genus of desmidsPlantae: Zygnematales: Mesotaeniaceae
For identificationCurrentTortitaeniaa genus of desmidsPlantae: Zygnematales: Mesotaeniaceae
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