Algae of New Zealand — LlNDAUER 
343 
grows in comparatively still, sheltered situations, 
and small plants of this form closely resemble 
Taonia, from which they differ macroscopically, 
in the lack of transverse, concentric bands. The 
latter is the commoner form. 
In structure the plant agrees most closely 
with S. solierii (Chauv.) Kuetz., from the Me- 
diterranean, as distributed by Schiffner, Algae 
Marinae, No. 689, but in vegetative habit is 
closer to S. cornigerum J. A g. of Australia; 
but no exact comparison can be made until the 
Australian plant is more extensively collected. 
Distribution: In the upper sub-littoral and 
extending downwards, often hanging from rock 
just below low-water line or growing on rocks 
on the bottom. Found more or less abundantly 
from Whangarei to the Bay of Plenty, Welling- 
ton, Bluff, Stewart Island (type locality). 
Spring and summer. 
Type specimen No. 6702, Herbarium Lin- 
dauer; iso-types distributed in Lindauer 
( 1946), Algae N ova-Zelandicae Exsiccatae, No. 
209. 
Myrionema compactum sp. nov. 
Fig. 3 a-e. 
Thallo epiphytico, pulvinum parvum tenuem 
glaucum lineamentis irregularibus formante, 
coniuncto ad nodos et internodos superiores 
Hormosirae banksii var. gracilis; strato basali 
prostrato monostromatico, constante e filis plus 
minusve tortuosis, dense adpressis, 9-12 ft dia- 
metro, subdichotome ramosis praesertim prope 
marginem; filis erectis 6-12 cellularum, brevi- 
bus, latis, cylindricis, obtusis, 54-100 ft aids, 15— 
2 1 fi latis, interdum duobus filis erectis ex eadem 
cellula basali orientibus; unilocularibus spo- 
rangiis sessilibus, rarius breviter pedicellatis, 
directe e strato librato orientibus aut rarius 
lateraliter e parte superiore filorum erectorum, 
late clavatis vel cylindricis, 40-80 ft altis, 15-27 
I x latis, irregulariter per frondem sparsis; plurilo- 
cularibus sporangiis ad 12 ordines loculorum 
altis, in pedicellis 1-5 cellularum positis, 
seriebus e 2-4 constantibus, 60-99 ft altis, 15- 
Fig. 3. Myrionema compactum sp. nov.: a, colony 
on host (X 2); b, erect filaments and unilocular spo- 
rangium (X 325); c, surface view showing erect 
filaments, sporangia (shaded), and a hair (X 325); 
d, tip of prostrate filament (X 200); e, plurilocular 
sporangia (X 300). 
18 /x latis, parietibus transversis librads; capillis 
9 ft latis; chromatophoris parvis, disciformibus. 
Thallus epiphytic, forming a small, thin, dull- 
grey, skin-like cushion irregular in outline, at- 
tached to the upper nodes and internodes of 
Hormosira banksii var. gracilis; prostrate basal 
layer monostromatic, composed of more or less 
tortuous, closely adpressed filaments 9-12 ft in 
diameter, subdichotomously branched, especially 
towards the periphery; erect filaments of 6-12 
cells, short, broad, cylindrical, obtuse, 54-100 ft 
high and 15-21 ft broad, sometimes 2 erect fila- 
ments arising from the same basal cell; uni- 
locular sporangia sessile, more rarely shortly 
pedicelled, arising directly from the horizontal 
stratum or, more rarely, laterally from the upper 
