NO. 1 DAWSON : MARINE RED ALGAE OF PACIFIC MEXICO 61 



Gelidiocolax microsphaerica Gardner 



Gardner, 1927b, p. 341. 



Thallus white, spherical in form, 175-225 ju, in diameter; filaments 

 di-tri-chotomously branched, with long, narrow, apical, surface cells; 

 cystocarps several in a thallus, with carpospores borne in dense clusters ; 

 antheridia very numerous, 3-4 seriate, on the outer ends of ultimate cells 

 of the cortex and covering the entire surface of the exposed part of the 

 thallus; antherozoids 1.5-2 jx in diameter; tetrasporangia metamorphosed 

 surface cells, moderately abundant, scattered promiscuously over the 

 surface of the exposed part of the thallus, 22-28 ju, in diameter. 



Type : Holotype is Gardner 2423b, April, on sheet 294573 in the 

 Herbarium of the University of California, Berkeley. 



Type locality: On Gelidiu?n pulchrum about 2 miles south of 

 Balboa Beach, Orange County, Calif. 



Mexican distribution: Pacific Baja Calif. — J. T. Howell 54a, 

 on Gelidium pusillmn, Isla San Martin, Aug. 



This material was detected and identified by N. L. Gardner twenty 

 years ago, but was not reported. It represents the second known occur- 

 rence of this obscure species. 



The description above is taken from Gardner's original account. 



Gelidium microphysa Setchell & Gardner 



Setchell k Gardner, 1930, p. 151, pi. 9, fig. 31; Dawson, 1944, p. 

 260. 



Thalli saxicolous, spreading, matted, 0.6-1.5 cm. high, compressed 

 to flattened throughout, consisting of short erect, branched fronds from 

 creeping branches attached by numerous small discs ; erect parts irregular- 

 ly pinnately or flabellately short-branched; segments 600-900 (1200) /* 

 wide, narrower in mature fertile branches; apices usually rounded and 

 with the apical cell in a slight or pronounced notch ; transection showing 

 a rather broad medulla containing abundant rhizoidal filaments which 

 are not arranged longitudinally, but are interlaced in all directions; 

 outer cortex dense, of very small, spherical cells 3-5 ix in diameter; 

 cystocarps solitary, or sometimes two, in segments of compound fertile 

 branches, 350-550 jx in diameter; antheridia and tetrasporangia unknown. 



Type: Holotype is Mason 121, April 1925, on sheet 173635 in the 

 Herbarium of the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, Cali- 

 fornia. Transections of the type are on slide 21 1 in HAHF. 



