TAXONOMY OF THE FLATTENED SOLIERIACEAE (RHODOPHYTA) IN BRAZIL - AGARDHIELLA AND MERISTIELLA

Taxonomic studies of an extensive collection of flattened members of t he Solieriaceae considered by many authors to be species of Agardhiell a, Eucheuma, Meristotheca, and Meristiella lead us to conclude that th ey represent only two genera in Brazil: Agardhiella, including A. ramo sissima (Harvey) Kylin and A. floridana (Kylin) Gabrielson ex Guimarae s et Oliveira, and Meristiella, with only one species, M. gelidium (J. Agardh) Cheney et Gabrielson. Accordingly, we propose that 1) Meristo theca gigartinoides Joly et Ugadim be synonymized with Agardhiella flo ridana, and 2) Meristiella echinocarpa (Areschoug) Cheney et Gabrielso n and M. schrammii (P. et H. Crouan) Cheney et Gabrielson by synonymiz ed with Meristiella gelidium.