| Diagnosis |
Colonies composed of a mass of tightly interwoven branches and stems, giving the colony the aspect of a globular network, up to 9 cm in diameter. Branching frequent, irregular and in several planes; with anastomoses. Hydrothecae arranged in decussate pairs, forming four longitudinal rows of hydrothecae. Hydrothecae immersed into the branches for approximately one-third of their volume. Adcauline hydrothecal wall free for one eighth to one-third of its length. Free adcauline wall approximately straight. Abcauline wall almost straight, though becoming concave distally. Hydrothecal aperture mainly circular and slightly tilted downwards; rim either even and the aperture circular, or uneven, due to the presence of a more or less distinct abcauline elevation. Male and female gonothecae present. Female gonothecae as those of Staurotheca antarctica and Staurotheca compressa. Male gonothecae fusiform, occasionally with a few downwardly directed digitiform processes. |
