Three new species of Batrachospermum Roth （Batrachospermaceae, Rhodophyta） in China

Three new species of Batrachospermum Roth (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) from China are described in this paper. B. yunnanense sp. nov. has long-cylindrical trichogynes with long stalks and is diagnostic of section Virescentia. Within this section, B. yunnanense is similar to B. helminthosum Bory emend. Sheath et al., but it is dioecious and has curved carpogonial branches, while the latter is monoecious and has straight carpogonial branches. It is also similar to B. transtaganum Reis, but it differs from the latter in long carpogonia,big carposporophytes and carposporangia. It is considered that B. nothocladoideum sp. nov. is assigned to section Contorta, subsection Kushiroense, because its carpogonial branches are twisted and gonimoblast filaments are loosely agglomerated. This new species similar to B. iriomotense Kumano, but with short fascicles, long-ovoid or subpyriform cells, numerous terminal hairs, long-ellipsoid trichogynes, big carposporophytes and small carposporangia. The plant is quite tough and cartilaginous and similar to Nothocladus in gross morphology, but its carposporophytes are compact instead of diffuse. This shows that it may be a transitional species between section Contorta and genus Nothocladus. So, B. transitorium sp. nov. should belong to section Contorta, subsection Kushiroense, because of its curved or twisted carpogonial branches and loosely agglomerated gonimoblast filaments, with globose or subglobose cells in fascicles similar to B. spermatiophorum Vis et Sheath, but no colourless spermatiophores. In terms of small and numerous carposporophytes, B. transitorium sp. nov. is similar to some species of section Batrachospermum. However, their other features are unique, indicating its transitional nature between section Contorta and Batrachospermum.

Three new species ofBatrachospermum Roth (Batrachospermaceae, Rhodophyta) in China

Three new species ofBatrachospermum Roth (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) from China are described in this paper.B. yunnanense sp. nov. has long-cylindrical trichogynes with long stalks and is diagnostic of sectionVirescentia. Within this section,B. yunnanense is similar toB. helminthosum Bory emend. Sheathet al., but it is dioecious and has curved carpogonial branches, while the latter is monoecious and has straight carpogonial branches. It is also similar toB. transtaganum Reis, but it differs from the latter in long carpogonia, big carposporophytes and carposporangia. It is considered thatB. nothocladoideum sp. nov. is assigned to sectionContorta, subsectionKushiroense, because its carpogonial branches are twisted and gonimoblast filaments are loosely agglomerated. This new species similar toB. iriomotense Kumano, but with short fascicles, long-ovoid or subpyriform cells, numerous terminal hairs, long-ellipsoid trichogynes, big carposporophytes and small carposporangia. The plant is quite tough and cartilaginous and similar toNothocladus in gross morphology, but its carposporophytes are compact instead of diffuse. This shows that it may be a transitional species between sectionContorta and genusNothocladus. So,B. transitorium sp. nov. should belong to sectionContorta, subsectionKushiroense, because of its curved or twisted carpogonial branches and loosely agglomerated gonimoblast filaments, with globose or subglobose cells in fascicles similar toB. spermatiophorum Vis et Sheath, but no colourless spermatiophores. In terms of small and numerous carposporophytes,B. transitorium sp. nov. is similar to some species of sectionBatrachospermum. However, their other features are unique, indicating its transitional nature between sectionContorta andBatrachospermum. Project No. 30270119 and 3989400 supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China.