ON A MICROSCOPIC PHASE IN THE LIFE CYCLE OF NEMALION

Nemalion pulvinatum GRUNOW (Nemalionaceae, Rhodophyta) is a taxonomically problematical species. Recently, Miss B. T. CHiu ( 1961) reported that Nemalion pulvinatum should be placed as a species of Dermonema. I continue to use the name Nemalion pulvinatum, because its complete taxonomy is not yet treated. Previously, the general life history of Nemalionaceae had been thought to be haplobiontic since SvEDELIUS (1915) and KYLIN (1916) showed that the zygote nucleus in Scinaia and Nemalion respectively underwent meiosis. Recently, MAGNE (196la, 196lb; 1964a, 1964b) reported new facts concerning the nuclear cycle of the family, rectifying earlier statements of SvEDELIUs, K YLIN and others. He found that in Lemanea, Nemalion and Scinaia the fertilized carpogonium did not undergo meiotic division. VoN SToscH (1965) in his cytological and culture studies of Liagorafarinosa demonst-rated MAGNE's theory: that is, the species showed a heteromorphic life history and its carpospore germlings gave rise to presumed sporophytes represented by microscopic phase. MARTIN (according to a copy of her manuscript) also observed that carpo-spores of Nemalion elminthoides in culture developed into creeping filaments bearin