EUPHYCOPHYTA 



93 



Dasycladaceae: Neomeris (neo, new; meris, part). Fig. 52 



This is a calcareous tropical genus which has been in existence 

 from the Cretaceous era. The much calcified adult plants have the 

 appearance of small worm-hke masses with an apical tuft of hairs, 

 whilst very young plants consist of an erect Vaucheria-like filament 



Fig. 52 Neomeris. A, plants of N. annulata ( x 1). B, young plant of 

 A^. dumetosa ( x i). C, longitudinal section through apex of N. 

 dumetosa ( x i). D, rhizoid in N. dumetosa ( x i). E, transverse 

 section of thallus of N. dumetosa in middle of calcified area ( x ^). 

 F, N. dumetosa, assimilating filaments with sporangium ( x i). G, 

 N. annulata, sporangium ( x 33). H, regeneration of an injured axis 

 ( x|), (Aj G, after Taylor, rest after Church.) 



with a tuft of dichotomously branched filaments of the apex. In the 

 adult plant the ultimate branches terminate in long deciduous 

 hairs, whilst the apices of the next lower order of branches dilate 

 and become pressed together, thus producing a compact surface 

 with a pseudo-parenchymatous appearance (cf. Fig. 52E). Calcium 



