Gloiopeltis complanata

Thallus cartilaginous, slippery, bushy, erect (4 cm high) or semiprostrate, arising from creeping axes forming dense turf, 1-2.5 cm high, dark reddish-purple, pinkish near apices. Branching irregular, subdichotomous, and pinnate. Branches terete at base and complanate above, 1-1.5 mm broad, with serrate margins near apices. Branchlets spinous with acute apices. In transverse section, medulla consists of axial cell and filaments, ~6 mm diam. composed of uniseriate cells, (1.6×8 mm); inner cortex of loosely arranged small cells, 5-8×11-13 mm and outer cortex of firmly compacted smaller cells, 2.7-3×4-8 mm. Terasporangia ovoid, cruciately, irregularly cruciately divided, to 47×19 mm, scattered in outer cortex. Growing on the upper intertidal rocks, in semi-sheltered and open areas.

The Asia-Pacific Region: Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan; Philippines.