Auxiliary Cells in the Ceramiales

Abstract

DREW¹ rightly commented on the need for critical re-examination of many phycological concepts which have been accepted without question, but which need to be re-considered because the supporting data are either of considerable age and unconfirmed, or even known to be incorrect. These spurious concepts are to be found in all fields of phycological research, although systematic studies provide some of the worst examples of this curious lack of re-appraisal. For many groups the apparent stability of the generally accepted system of classification is largely an illusion, as has been demonstrated recently for the Florideophyceae².