Stoechospermum polypodioides (Lamouroux) Agardh 1848

    Thallus yellowish- brown, growing in tufts of 7-20 cm or more in height, 0.5- 1.5cm width. Basal portion consisting of irregular branches, bent, decumbent and short, intertwined together. Growth of the plant by means of a marginal meristem. Rhizoids arising from the intertwined branches, fixing the plant to the substratum. Upper portion more or less dichotomously divided into foliaceous, spathulate branches. Spathulate outgrowths arising occasionally from the decumbent branches with marginal growth, growing like the erect parts of the thallus. Lateral margins of the branches entire, apical margins involute. Thallus composed of a superficial layer enclosing a middle layer in the younger growing region; middle portion becoming multilayered in mature regions; superficial layer composed of small, thin – walled rectangular or more or less rounded cells, richly provided with chromatophores; cells of the middle layers large, more or less rectangular. Hairs occurring in large groups scattered over the surface of the thallus.