Taxonomic Notes on Marine Algae from Malaysia. IX. Four Species of Rhodophyceae, with the Description of Chondria decidua sp. nov

Three species of marine red algae are reported from Malaysia for the first time and their morphological features are described along with taxonomic comments. Hypnea charoides Lamouroux (Hypneaceae, Gigartinales) represents a geographic record intermediate between the Australian type locality and the Japanese islands in the Pacific Ocean. Hypnea flexicaulis Yamagishi et Masuda is reported for the first time outside Japan. Polysiphonia apiculata Hollenberg (Rhodomelaceae, Ceramiales) is transferred to Neosiphonia, as N. apiculata (Hollenberg) Masuda et Kogame, comb. nov. Furthermore, a minute-statured new species of Chondria (Rhodomelaceae), C. decidua Tani et Masuda, is described for an alga that is primarily distinguished from morphologically similar species by its production of small deciduous branchlets, which may function as propagules.