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Staurastrum boreale Desmid Species Outer Hebrides

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Phylum: Charophyta   Family: Desmidiaceae

Staurastrum boreale  W. & G.S. West 1905

First described and illustrated by West & West (1905: 27, pl. 2: 25). A widespread species but easily confused with the very similar Staurastrum gracile, both morphologically and in ecological preference.
Cell dimensions: L: 25-35 µm; B: 29-41 µm.; Is: 9.0-10.5 µm.
The zygospore is rarely recorded and has 6–7 projections in face-view, with 3-4 apical appendages. S. gracile has 8-9 (-10). (This is based on a record by Homfeld in 1929 - see the entry for S. gracile.) Dimensions: Minus projections: 22-30 µm; Overall: 38-50 µm.
A common species found in slightly acidic, mesotrophic, waters such as shallow vegetated pools and loch-margins.

References: 
Coesel, P.F.M. & Meesters, K.J. (2013) European Flora of the Desmid Genera Staurastrum and Staurodesmus.
West, W. & West, G.S. (1905) Freshwater algae from the Orkneys and Shetlands.

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