|Constancea 83, 2002| University and Jepson Herbaria P.C. Silva
Festschrift Despite numerous studies, the phylogeny and taxonomy
of much of the Laurencia Lamouroux complex still remains
obscure. Previous phylogenetic analyses of the genus Osmundea
based on comparative morphology and sequences of the plastid-
encoded rbcL gene indicated two potentially phylogenetically
informative characters. The presence or absence of secondary pit
connections in the epidermis and the shape of spermatangial
receptacles (urn-shaped or cup-shaped) were synapomorphies for
some clades in European species. Osmundea Stackhouse has a
markedly disjunct distribution, being confined to Atlantic and
Mediterranean coasts of Europe and Pacific North America. The
major goal of this study was to extend taxon sampling to
Californian species (the Spectabilis group) which show character
combinations that differ from any European species. In addition,
we investigated whether the basionym Fucus oederi Gunnerus might
be available for the taxonomic