THE MORPHOTAXONOMY AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE GENUS SARGASSUM C AGARDH (FUCALES PHAEOPHYTA) FROM KAMPANI COASTAL AREAS

Three species of Sargassum belonging to the Sargassum subgenus Sargassum (Fucales, Phaeophyta) collected from the Kampani coastal areas- Thabawseik and southern Kampani from October 2012 to March 2013, had been identified as Sargassum swartzii (Turner) C. Agardh and S. cervicorne Greville under the section Binderiana and S. plagiophyllum C. Agardh (with or without stolons) under the section Polycystae based on a detailed account of morphologies of vegetative and reproductive structures of the plants. Sargassum plagiophyllum C. Agardh (with or without stolons) is the most common species occurring in the two study areas. The growth patterns in the development of furcate cauline leaf, dwarfs of main branch as well as different orders of branches, leaves, vesicles and receptacles of Sargassum swartzii (Turner) C. Agardh and S. cervicorne Greville under Sargassum section Binderiana was recorded. In addition, S. cervicorne Greville was firstly reported from Kampani coastal areas. Moreover, the simple cauline leaf, dwarfs of main branch or stolons as well as different orders of branches, leaves, vesicles and receptacles ofS. plagiophyllum C. Agardh (with or without stolons) under Sargassum section Polycystae belonging to the S. subgenus Sargassum from Kampani coastal areas was also recorded.