Anatomical studies on Iyengaria Børgesen (Phaeophycota) from Karachi coast of Pakistan

A commonly growing brown seaweed,iyengaria stellata (børgesen) børgesen [= rosenvingia stellata børgesen] was collected during march 2007 and april 2009 from mid-littoral rocks at manora and buleji,the coastal areas of karachi. the multiprotuberant and globular thalli were investigated for their morphology,anatomy and reproduction. their large,prominent and distantly arranged protuberances (stellata) were studied in detail. patches of thick-walled,dark brown hypodermal cells,vertically elongated,thin-walled cells below hypodermis,intercellular spaces in the hypodermal cells,and 20 - 25 layers of cells in the thalli were observed which were not noticed by the previous workers. during collection survey a new species,iyengaria nizamuddinii abbas et shameel was observed which is characterised by small and closely arranged protuberances,absence of patches of thick-walled dark brown cells,lack of vertically elongated thin-walled cells and intercellular spaces. it was also morphogically and anatomically investigated.