Taxonomy of Australian freshwater algae. I. The genusMicrasteriasin South-Eastern Australia

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Abstract
A preliminary survey has been made of the desmid genus Micrasterias in Tasmania, as the first part of an intended series of detailed investigations of Tasmanian freshwater algae. For comparative purposes, samples from the south-eastern states of mainland Australia are included. Micrasterias hardyi West, apparently an Australian endemic, is discussed in detail and M. tropica var. indivisa (Nordst.) Eichl. et Racib., formerly known only from New Zealand, is figured from Tasmania. Some other Micrasterias forms are readily accommodated within the existing nomenclature. Others, however, have been uncertainly allied with existing taxa in keeping with a policy of not adding to the burden of nomenclature until a biological concept of species has been developed for the desmids. The taxonomy of Australian representatives of the genus Micrasterias is discussed against this background.