1925] Setchell-Gardner: Melanophyceae 465 



Myrionema balticum (Reinke) Foslie 



Myrionema (Phycocelis) balticum (Reinke) Foslie. New or Crit. 

 Norw. Alg., 1894, p. 17. Ascocyclus balticus Reinke, Algenfl. westl. 

 Ostsee, 1889a, p. 45, Atlas, 1889, p. 19, pi. 16. figs. 1-4. 



A discussion of the reasons for rejecting Ascocyclus may be found 

 under Myrionema foecundum. The chief character which Magnus 

 used in establishing his new genus Ascocyclus, viz., the "ascocysts," 

 docs not appear in the diagnosis given by Reinke for A. balticus. It 

 seems to us clearly that Reinke 's plant is a Myrionema, and we are 

 grouping two distinct forms under the species which, to us, seem 

 amply different from the typical form, as described and figured by 

 Reinke. 



12. Myrionema balticum f. californicum S. and G. 



Fronds forming microscopic cushions, 0.5-0.75 mm. diam. ; pros- 

 trate portion composed of relatively straight, regularly radiating fila- 

 ments; erect filaments unbranched, attenuated slightly upwards and 

 at the base, blunt, 75-125/a long; true hairs 0.5-1 mm. long; cells 

 of prostrate filaments 6-7/i diam., 1-1.5 times as long; cells of erect 

 filaments 7.5-10/* diam., mostly quadrate ; cells of true hairs 4-5. 5/* 

 diam., 6-10 times as long above, 3-5 times as long at the base, quadrate 

 a few cells above the base ; chromatophores irregularly broken bands ; 

 zoosporangia unknown ; gametangia on 1-3-celled pedicels, either from 

 the creeping filaments, or lateral at the base of the erect filaments, 

 cylindrical, 90-130/* long, 7-9/* broad. 



Growing on the outer ends of the leaves of Phyllospadix sp. Point 

 Carmel, Monterey County, California. 



Setchell and Gardner, Phyc. Cont. II, 1922, p. 341. 



We have no authentic measurements of Ascocyclus balticus Reinke. 

 He does not mention the size of the gametangia either in the Atlas 

 (1889, pi. 16, figs. 1-4), where he first describes and figures it, or 

 in the Algenflora (1889a, p. 45) where he describes it again. Foslie 

 (1894, p. 17, repr.) made the combination Myrionema. {Phycocelis) 

 balticum., but he gave no measurements for any of its parts. De-Toni 

 (1895, p. 581) lists the plant as Phycocelis (?) baltica (Reinke) Foslie, 

 but gives no additional information concerning the size of the game- 

 tangia. Kylin (1907, p. 35) lists a plant under Myrionema balticum 



