Neosiphonia harlandii

Thallus erect, bushy, slightly cartilaginous, solitary or in dense tufts, 2-6(-8) cm high, violet, with several main cylindrical axes, 600-800(-1500) μm diam., arising from disclike holdfast. Branching from all sides. The axis and branches of the first order are naked at the lower portion and densely covered with branchlets above. Branchlets densely and repeatedly forked. The axes and branches polysiphonous, composed of 4 pericentral cells, with incomplete cortication (or sometimes consisting of two cell layers) in the main axis and the branches of the first order; branchlets commonly ecorticate. Trichoblasts abundant, forming dense tufts, 3-4 times dichotomously branched, gradually tapering to apices, 50-60 μm long. Sporangia spherical, to 50 μm diam., tetrahedrally divided, develop in swollen ultimate branchlets. Cystocarps subspherical (250x280 μm), stalked (2-3-celled), on outer branchlets. Attachment by a disc-like holdfast. Growing on intertidal hard substrate or epiphytically.

Tropical and subtropical waters of Pacific Ocean (China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Vietnam).