Chondrophycus brandenii (Y.Saito & Womersley) K.W.Nam

Scientific Description

Habit and structure. Thallus red to red-brown, soft, drying adherent to paper, 4–8 cm high, with one to several axes bearing laterals irregularly radially for 3–4 orders, branches terete to larger ones slightly compressed; axes 3–4 mm in diameter, laterals 1.5–2 mm and ultimate ramuli (0.8–)1–1.5 mm in diameter. Holdfast discoid, 1–3 mm across; epilithic, on shells, or epiphytic on Amphibolis. Structure. Epidermal cells isodiametric and rounded, 15–25 µm across near apices, increasing to 45 µm across and L/D 1–2 below, without secondary pit-connections and corps en cerise; in section, obconical to rounded, 20–35 µm across and long, with spaces below epidermal and between cortical cells which lack lenticular thickenings. Cells uninucleate, larger multinucleate; rhodoplasts discoid, ribbon-like in larger cells.

Reproduction. Female plants unknown. Spermatangial receptacles shortly clavate, 1–1.5 mm across, spermatangia borne on trichoblasts. Tetrasporangial stichidia simple, becoming compound, 0.7–1.5 mm broad and 1.5–3 mm long, tetrasporangia cut off abaxially in right-angle arrangement, 80–150 µm in diameter, decussately to tetrahedrally divided.

Distribution. Elliston to Marino, S. Aust.

[After Womersley, Mar. Benthic Fl. Southern Australia IIID: 483 (2003)]