Trichosolen solomonensis (Womersley & A.Bailey) D.M.John

Scientific Description

Habit and structure. Thallus hirsute, to 14 mm tall. Primary axes dichotomously divided at irregular intervals, c. 320 µm diam. at the base, tapering to c. 70 µm near the apex. Axes densely clothed throughout with mostly simple or once-branched ramuli, these basally constricted, to 1 mm long, 40–65 µm diam. near the branch base, tapering to 15–20 µm diam. just below the rounded apex. Secondary laterals on ramuli basally constricted. Gametangia forming as outgrowths from lower portions of ramuli, generally 1 per ramulus, initially cylindrical, 38–45 µm diam., obovoid to clavate when mature, 75–100 µm diam., 170–220 µm long, with a terminal papilla. Plastids irregularly spherical, 4–8 µm diam., each with a pyrenoid.

Distribution. Known from the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and the northern Kimberley, W.A.

Habitat. Epilithic.

[After Huisman, Algae of Australia: Mar. Benthic Algae of North-western Australia, 1. Green and Brown Algae 74 (2015)]