THE DISTRIBUTION OF D-SORBITOL AND D-DULCITOL IN THE RED ALGAL GENERA BOSTRYCHIA AND STICTOSIPHONIA (RHODOMELACEAE, RHODOPHYTA) - A REEVALUATION

The subfamily Bostrychioideae contains the genera Bostrychia and Stictosiphonia, which differ from each other in a number of morphological characters. Quantitative data are provided on the distribution of the isomeric hexitols D-sorbitol and D-dulcitol in nine of 11 known Bostrychia and in three of six known Stictosiphonia species. D-sorbitol was found in all algae investigated. D-dulcitol was missing in all Stictosiphonia investigated, in one isolate of B. radicans, and in B. tenuissima. While the occurrence of both polyols characterizes most members of the genus Bostrychia, the occurrence of D-sorbitol alone cannot be used to differentiate between the two genera. © 1990 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.