1925] Setchell-Gardner: Melanophyceae 483 



Growing on Fhcux furcatus f. Carmel Bay, Monterey County, 



California. 



Setchell and Gardner, Phyc. Cont. Ill, 1922, p. 354, pi. 35, figs. 1-3. 



Compsonema intricatum has diverged very far from a typical 

 Compsonema. The size of a single individual at maturity cannot be 

 ascertained, since 1 the creeping filaments, and to some extent the erect 

 filaments, are thoroughly and inextricably intertwined, forming con- 

 tinuous velvety strata on the surface of the host for several inches in 

 expanse. The gametangia have, to a considerable degree, moved to 

 the lateral position, the majority, however, remain terminal on long 

 pedicels from the basal filaments. The lateral position is characteris- 

 tic of Ectocarpus. The intercalary gametangia are typical of the 

 genus Pylaiella. The creeping filaments are very numerous, although 

 they do not radiate regularly side by side, thus forming a regular 

 circular disk typical of the genus Myrionema. The zoosporangia (?) 

 are numerous and develop with the gametangia on the same individual. 

 It is exceedingly doubtful whether or not these structures are func- 

 tional. At the stage in which the material was found, they were prac- 

 tically all of the same size, and some of the accompanying gametangia 

 were empty. There is no indication of the formation of zoospores. 

 They are filled with what seem to be densely crowded, angular chro- 

 matophores. The apical end is slightly beaked, and the outer wall 

 dissolved, except a thin inner membrane. Their position on the same 

 plants with gametangia, the peculiar open beak, and the fact that they 

 all seem to be of the same age lead us to suspect that they are some 

 sort of abnormalities, or pathological conditions of the gametangia, 

 which will require much more investigation to interpret. We have 

 retained this in the genus Compsonema on account of the prevailing 

 simplicity of the erect filaments and the abundance of creeping fila- 

 ments, practically every cell of which gives rise to an erect filament. 



14. Compsonema secundum S. and G. 



Plate 54, figs. 1, 2 



Fronds very small, usually more or less confluent ; prostrate por- 

 tion monostromatic, composed of much crisped, branched filaments ; 

 cells of creeping filaments irregular in shape, 7-8/*, diam., variable in 

 length; erect filaments up to 1.25 mm. long, unbranched, or rarely with 

 a few short fructiferous ramuli ; cells of erect filaments cylindrical, 

 ~k~)-6.7)/x diam. at the base, 4.5-6 times as long, 5). 5-10. 5^ diam., in 



