52 ALLAN HANCOCK PACIFIC EXPEDITIONS VOL. 17 



Galaxaura squalida Kjellman 



Plate 19, fig. 1 



Kjellman, 1900, p. 55, pi. 6, figs. 1-12, pi. 20, fig. 9 ; Svedelius, 1945, 

 p. 3-12, text figs. 1-7, pi. 1; Chou. 1947, p. 9, pi. IV, figs. 1-11, pi. 

 VIII, fig. 2. 



Thalli saxicolous, to 9 cm. high or more, richly branched, forming a 

 loose clump from a rather broad discoid holdfast ; branching dichotomous, 

 the internodes 3-13 mm. long; segments cylindrical, for the most part 

 somewhat less than 1 mm. in diameter above, and to 1.5 mm. in older 

 lower parts, smooth, annulate in upper parts, below more or less densely 

 covered with rusty-brown, projecting, assimilatory filaments, heavily 

 calcified, not only in the cortical zone, but also throughout the medullary 

 area ; cortex of three layers, consisting of a continuous epidermal layer of 

 flattened cells and two inner layers of successively larger, more or less 

 rotund cells bordering on the filamentous medulla, the innermost of the 

 large cortical cells in longitudinal section appearing as lobed "fusion 

 cells" ; older thallus parts bearing numerous assimilatory filaments arising 

 directly from the epidermal cells ; reproduction sexual. 



Type: Holotype is a specimen collected by Orsted, from the her- 

 barium of Areschoug, in the Herbarium of the Riksmuseum, Stockholm, 

 Sweden. 



Type locality : St. Croix, Virgin Islands. 



Mexican distribution: Baja Calif, (cape district) — D. 3098, 

 5 km. north of Cabo Pulmo, Nov.; D. 3215a, Punta Palmilla, Nov.; 

 D. 6755 A (Mar.), D. 3337 (Nov.), Cabeza Ballena. 



These specimens are in almost complete agreement with Svedelius' 

 concept of Galaxaura squalida, particularly in the calcification through- 

 out the medulla, and in the 3-layered anatomy of the cortex. Although 

 some of them are well over 1 mm. in diameter in lower parts, most of 

 the Mexican plants are somewhat more slender than Svedelius' Ceylon 

 specimens, and in this respect are in closer agreement with those of 

 Chou's account, especially with material from Pacific Panama. 



Galaxaura subfruticulosa Chou 

 Plate 20, fig. 1 



Chou, 1945, p. 41, pi. II, fig. 6, pi. VIII, fig. 2; Taylor, 1945, p. 

 140. 



Thalli saxicolous, 5-6 cm. high, from a discoid holdfast; branching 

 irregularly dichotomous, non-fastigiate, mostly at intervals of 3-7 mm.; 

 branches villous throughout with extended assimilatory filaments evenly 



