Seasonal and Reproductive Aspects of Plant Chemistry, and ι-Carrageenan from Floridian Eucheuma (Rhodophyta, Gigartinales)

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Abstract
Six populations of Eucheuma were collected along the coasts of Florida [USA] seasonally and cystocarpic, tetrasporic, male and vegetative plants were separated. A deviant form of .iota.-carrageenan was found in all forms, including 2 populations from the Florida Keys, E. isiforme and a form from Bahia Honda Key, and E. nudum collected from 3 distinct sites on the W and E coasts of Florida. E. gelidium from the Florida Keys contains a different form of .iota.-carrageenan having lower levels of 3,6-anhydrogalactose and esterified sulfate and a distinctive IR spectrum. Analysis of seasonal collections of E. isiforme, the Bahia Honda form and 3 populations of E. nudum indicates that the .iota.-carrageenan does not show changes in molar ratios of galactose to 3,6-anhydrogalactose to esterified sulfate throughout the year, although total protein, carrageenan and carbohydrate did show cyclic changes. No differences were noted between tetrasporic and cystocarpic plants when molar ratios, IR spectra, or sulfate levels of the extracted (modified by lime or not) carrageenan were compared. Reproductive plants were uniform with regard to total protein, carbohydrate, ash level and carrageenan yield.