Desmid of the month
September 2005
Bambusina brebissonii
The genus Bambusina is readily to be distinguished by its characteristic cell shape reminding of two flower-pots, one being placed upside down on the other. Cells are united by their apices to form filaments. Conjugation in mating filaments may take place simultaneously between series of cells.
By far the most wide-spread species of this genus is Bambusina brebissonii*. In the Netherlands it is of common occurrence in acidic, oligotrophic bogs and moorland pools. Zygospore formation has been observed a number of times.
* synonyms: Bambusina borreri, Gymnozyga moniliforme
Image
@ Wim van Egmond
Parts of Bambusina filaments photographed with interference contrast illumination showing a thin mucilaginous matrix enclosing each of the filaments.
Cell filament of Bambusina brebissonii.
Diameter of filament 18 µm.
Image © Henk Schulp
Some two zygospores of Bambusina brebissonii still connecting parts of the filaments mated.
