SEASONAL PATTERNS OF MORPHOLOGICAL VARIABILITY IN <em>SARGASSUM POLYCERATIUM</em> (PHAEOPHYTA).

Temporal variability in certain morphological and taxonomically important features was quantified for Sargassum polyceratium Mont. From a population in the Content Keys. Florida (U.S.A.). patterns of blade development, senescence, and loss caused pronounced seasonal changes in blade length-width ratios. Blade length and width were maximal early in the growing season (August-November) and decreased as the annual stems matured. Early in the growing season, plants had broader bblades with randomly distributed cryptostomata. Late in the growing season (February-April), plants had more linear blades with cryptostomata approximately arranged in two rows, one on each side of the midrib. The length-width ratio of blades increased acropetally along the stems and were directly correlated to the size of the cryptostomatal opening and inversely correlated with the number of cryptostomata. The branching pattern of the annual stems ranged from short spur branches to well-developed, lateral axillary branches. The frequency of bifurcated blades increased singnificantly late in the growing season. Vesicle shape and size and pedicel length were temporally stable. Alated pedicles and mucronate vesicles occurred in low frequencies. The variability of the morphological features used to delineate species within the genus Sargassum on the tropical eastern coasts of the Americas is poorly understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]