Taxonomy and distribution of Trentepohlia and Printzinia (Trentepohliales, Chlorophyta) in the Hawaiian Islands

The taxonomy and distribution of the species of Trentepohlia and Printzina in the Hawaiian Islands were studied by examination of field collections and herbarium specimens from Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu (BISH). Eight taxa attributable to these genera were recorded in the field: Printzina bosseae var. samoensis, P. effusa, P. lagenifera, Trentepohlia abietina, T. abietina var. tenue, T. arborum, Trentepohlia cf. flava and T umbrina. The record of Trentepohlia aurea, based on some specimens deposited in BISH, is rejected. Growth and reproduction of some entities (P. bosseae var. samoensis, P. effusa, P. lagenifera and T. arborum) were examined in culture. In the Hawaiian Islands these algae grow primarily on tree bark and are rarely found on other types of substrata. Reproduction takes place by production of presumptive biflagellate gametangia in P. lagenifera, T. abietina and Trentepohlia cf.,flava and by release of zoosporangia in P. bosseae var. samoensis and T. arborum; in P. effusa, both types of reproductive structures were found. Vegetative growth was the only form of reproduction found in culture for the species for which isolation was possible. The taxonomic position of the species collected and implications for the conservation of the Trentepohliaceae in tropical regions are discussed.