RHODOPHYTA OF TROPICAL AFRICA 73 



[As Goniotrichum elegans Collins] 



Sierra Leone (3). 



[As Goniotrichum elegans (Chauv.) Le Jol.] 



Canaries (6; 20; 48). 



Nigeria (20). 



Senegal (20). 



[As Goniotrichum elegans (Chauv.) Zanard.] 



Canaries (46). 



'. . .; Nordwestafrika; . . .' (46). 



BANGIALES 



Erythropeltidaceae 



Erythrocladia irregularis Rosenv. 



Cameroun (unpublished). 



Cote d'lvoire (28). 



Gambia (33). 



Ghana (28; 29). 



Liberia (13; 28). 



Nigeria (28). 



Salvage Islands (41). 



Sierra Leone (32). 



Western Sahara (38). 



[As Erythrocladia subintegra Rosenv.] 



Ghana (29). 



Nigeria (20; 29). 



Salvage Islands (41). 



Senegal (12; 20; 29; 50). 



Sierra Leone (3). 



Note. From culture experiments, it has been concluded (Heerebout, 24) that Erythrocladia 

 irregularis, E. subintegra, E. ectozoica Dawson and E. polystromatica P. Dang, are forms of a 

 single species. Ardre (4) also indicated that the discoid thallus of E. subintegra might become 

 distromatic (' polystromatica'} with age in its central parts. Nichols & Lissant (1967) had previ- 

 ously reached similar general conclusions from culturing E. subintegra over a period of three 

 years. They remained fairly cautious on the significance of this, preferring first to examine type 

 materials and concluding that '. . . variations within the genus and species E. subintegra may at 

 times encompass the precise characteristics of other species. It is suggested that of the described 

 species with apparent similarities to E. subintegra . . ., few distinctive characters, if any, separate 

 them.' There are many other species currently placed in Erythrocladia and not examined by 

 Nichols & Lissant, by Heerebout, or by other subsequent workers. It is thus not yet clear whether 

 those species are more appropriately placed in Colacodictyon, in the Audouinella group, or in 

 Erythrocladia itself. If they are retainable in Erythrocladia, that genus may well consist of merely 

 one very variable species, the type species E. irregularis. Since we do not have records established 

 for the area under names other than those already cited, further detailed consideration is not 

 really relevant, but it is clearly appropriate for us to accept that E. subintegra and E. irregularis 

 are conspecific, the latter epithet being retained. 



Erythrotrichia 



Although opinions differ on the conspecificity and form range variations of members of this 

 genus, there is general agreement that many of the previously used names are unnecessary and 

 relate to mere growth stages. The treatment below follows Heerebout (24) in all essentials; he 

 showed from culture experiments and literature studies that considerable doubt exists on the 



