LAURENCIA-COELENTERATA (RHODOMELACEAE, RHODOPHYTA), A NEW DIMINUTIVE SPECIES FROM THE DRY-TORTUGAS, FLORIDA

A diminutive species of Laurencia which grows from a basal crust is de scribed from the Dry Tortugas, Florida. The new species has tetraspora ngia arranged perpendicular to the axis of the bearing branchlet and a lso possesses secondary pit connections between cortical cells. Cystoc arps possess a prominent, projecting carpostome and develop in an apic al position on fertile branches, deflecting the vegetative growing ape x laterally. Plants possess four pericentral cells cut off from axial cells. Juvenile L. coelenterata nm plants bear a superficial resemblan ce to sea anemones.