- Reference
- Allan Hancock Pacific Exped. 3:319-320, Pl. 51, Figs 2, 3 (1944)
- Conservation Code
- Not threatened
- Naturalised Status
- Native to Western Australia
- Name Status
- Current
Scientific Description
Habit and structure. Thallus light red (darker at the nodes), with prostrate axes bearing simple to sparingly dichotomously branched erect axes to 3.5 mm tall. Prostrate axes attached by rhizoids arising 1 or 2 per node, with digitate pads. Erect axes branched every 8–10 cells, with straight apices. Axial cells 50–75 µm diam. (including the wall but not outer mucilage) [L:B 2–4]. Nodes with 6 or 7 periaxial cells, without pseudoperiaxial cells, each cutting off 2 acropetal and 2 basipetal filaments, these subsequently branching further and forming a node of 5–7 layers.
Reproduction. Spermatangia and tetrasporangia developing on the same thallus. Spermatangia forming in lateral tufts on nodal cells. Tetrasporangia arising from periaxial cells, mostly abaxially, 1–4 per node, spherical, 35–50 µm diam., cruciately or decussately divided, with nodal cells forming an involucre covering up to 100% of the sporangia, the entire structure forming a tumid node encased in a common mucilage, 100–150 µm wide.
Distribution. Widespread in warmer regions of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Habitat. Epiphytic in the shallow subtidal.
[After J.M. Huisman in Algae of Australia: Marine Benthic Algae of North-western Australia, 2. Red Algae: 391–392 (2018)]