SYNARTHROPHYTON,A NEW GENUS OF CORALLINACEAE (CRYPTONEMIALES,RHODOPHYTA) FROM THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE1

Synarthrophyton gen. nov. is described based on southern Australian material of Melobesia patena Hooker fils & Harvey, which shows features intermediate between Mesophyllum Lemoine and Lithothamnium Philippi. It has the thin-walled rounded epithallial cells and coaxial hypothallium characteristic of Mesophyllum and the type of procarp and male structures common to Lithothamnium. Synarthrophyton is unique within the subfamily Melobesioideae (J. E. Areschoug) Yendo because it displays secondary pit connections. Details of the vegetative and reproductive morphology of S. patena (Hooker fils. & Harvey) comb. nov. are given and its taxonomic position in the Corallinaceae Lamouroux discussed.