Gayliella flaccida

Thallus fine filamentous, to 2 cm high, pinkish-red, to reddish-brown, forming loose or dense tufts. Branching pseudo-dichotomous. Cortical nodes 50-120(-250) μm in diam., (20-)50-60 μm long consisting of basipetal transversely elongate cells and acropetal (1-2 rows) of small roundish to angular cells. Internodes 100-150(-300) μm long at the lower portion and shortening to apices. Branch tips inwardly curved, often forcipate. Rhizoids unicellular with simple or digitate tips, 1(-3) per node of creeping axis. Sporangia tetrahedrally divided, spherical, 30-45 μm diam., unilateral, 1(-2) per node, partially covered by involucre. Cystocarps terminal, spherical, to 150 μm diam. Growing on rocks, epiphytic on larger algae in upper intertidal to shallow subtidal.

Tropical and subtropical waters of Indian and Pacific Oceans.