260 ALLAN HANCOCK PACIFIC EXPEDITIONS VOL. 17 



4. Blades irregularly branched; margins crisped and erose, 

 minutely aculeate-dentate . . . . C. decolorata 



It should be pointed out that although these several species show 

 close relationship in structure and reproduction, and probably are correct- 

 ly grouped together in one genus, their assignment to Cryptonemia is 

 subject to such circumscription of this genus as may be prescribed by a 

 thorough study of the type species, Cryptonemia lomation (Bert.) J. Ag. 

 That species is said to bear its tetrasporangia in nemathecial sori, unlike 

 any of the species treated here. Unfortunately, no fertile material has 

 been available to verify this point, although eight collections were exam- 

 ined. Structurally C. lomation is in good agreement with the several 

 species treated here, even as to the presence of the peculiar, highly re- 

 fractive filaments in the medulla. It would be well if Sjoestedt's careful 

 study of the female gametophyte and carposporophyte in C. borealis were 

 to be compared with a similar study of the type species. 



Cryptonemia obovata J. Agardh 

 PI. 1, figs. 9-10 



J. Agardh 1876, p. 681; Kylin 1925, p. 20, fig. 8a; Kylin 1941, p. 

 11, pi. 3, fig. 8; Dawson 1945, p. 46; Doty 1947, p. 171. 



Thalli to 12 cm. high or more, perennial, rose red in color, usually 

 consisting of several obovate, or oblanceolate, membranous blades from a 

 branched subcylindrical stipe; stipe 1.5-2.0 mm. in diameter, 2-3 cm. 

 long, suberect or repent, producing the blades irregularly, multifariously; 

 blades cuneate at the base, the older ones with an evident midrib within 

 1-1.5 cm. of the junction with the stipe, broadly rounded distally, to 7 

 cm. broad or more, entire except for lacerations, but sometimes deeply 

 divided into 2-3 lobes, 100-200 ju, thick; structurally showing a fairly 

 dense medulla of intertwined filaments of elongated cells 5-8 ju, in dia- 

 meter, often accompanied by irregularly branched filaments filled with 

 highly refractive material (fig. 10) ; cortex of about 1-2 irregular tiers 

 of larger cells 15-20 ju, in greater diameter; tetrasporangia scattered 

 through the cortex just below the surface, without appreciable nemathe- 

 cial modification; cystocarps embedded, scattered throughout the blades, 

 arising on either side, causing well defined elevation of the surface, about 

 150 ju, in diameter; antheridia not seen. 



Type : Holotype is a specimen collected by Berggren in the Agardh 

 Herbarium, University of Lund, Sweden. A fragment and a slide show- 

 ing structure and cystocarps are in HAHF. 



