Zygnemaceae (family)

Silkweed (A freshwater algae) at Bonython, ACT

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Identification history

Zygnemaceae (family)	19 Jul 2016	MichaelMulvaney
Zygnemaceae (family)	6 Jul 2016	MichaelBedingfield
Unidentified	1 Jul 2016	MichaelBedingfield

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User's notes

Found in the Murrumbidgee River, common at times. The photo shows some algae caught in a small whirlpool.

7 comments

Heino wrote:

1 Jul 2016

I'll pass. The only alga I can recognize (to genus) is the red brown terrestrial Trentepohlia!

Mike wrote:

6 Jul 2016

My Waterwatch Algal Identification Flow Chart gives free floating, silky and green is Zygnemaceae but maybe you need to find an expert.

MichaelBedingfield wrote:

6 Jul 2016

Thanks Mike. I presume it is local since it is on your Waterwatch list so I've added it as a "species" and suggested it.

Heino wrote:

6 Jul 2016

I'll have to leave any algae for you to confirm. It was sensible to separate out the Other cryptogams group but I can't call myself an expert. I can recognize one algal genus, one cyanobacterial genus and (visually) the odd myxomycete.

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

20 Jul 2016

Stephen Skinner a freshwater plant specialist at the NSW Herbarium said the following: "One is very brave to identify, beyond family, freshwater algae from photographs... (this) photo, of the swirl of silkweed belongs to the family Zygnemaceae. Without microscopic, or at minimum hand lens, examination you cannot even get to genus. With a specimen, we could take it to genus, and if fertile, to species possibly...there is a paper in Telopea on the southern Tablelands ones...have you a decent research microscope handy?....
If the citizen scientists using this website would like their findings identified by us, we are more than happy to oblige. Specimens should be placed in a slip-lock plastic bag, have excess water gently poured off, and a small amount of methylated spirit added (after draining). The bag, and a note with the locality, date of collection, collector's names, habitat (wetland form or waterway form) and GPS, and any other notes they like, should be then sent, Express Post, to:
Plant Identification Service, National Herbarium of New South Wales, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, Mrs Macquarie's Rd, Sydney 2000,
and marked Attention : Dr Stephen Skinner. There is no fee for the general public

MichaelBedingfield wrote:

20 Jul 2016

Thanks Michael

Mike wrote:

20 Jul 2016

Stephen Skinner's Teach Yourself: Conspicuous Algal Growth in Waterways is online at http://www.act.waterwatch.org.au/Water%20Plants.html and contains the identification flow chart I mentioned earlier or if you just want the chart it is http://www.act.waterwatch.org.au/Files/Library/newflowchart.pdf.

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