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Abstract
Tetraspores of Petrocelis cruenta J. Agardh from County Waterford, Ireland gave rise to foliose, dioecious gametophytes in culture. Carpospores from this foliose phase gave rise to Petrocelis-like crusts that have not reproduced in culture. Anatomical and reproductive characteristics of the female gametophyte indicate that the naturally occurring gametophyte of P. cruenta is a species of Gigartina subgenus Mastocarpus. Gigartina stellata (Stackh.) Batt. is postulated to represent the naturally occurring gametophyte of P. cruenta in Ireland and possibly elsewhere. Field-collected sporophytes and cultured gametophytes of P. cruenta were compared with P. middendorffii (Ruprecht) Kjellman from the North Pacific. Results of attempted crosses between gametophyte stages of P. cruenta and P. middendorffii indicate that these species are reproductively isolated. The available evidence supports the continued recognition of P. cruenta and P. middendorffii as distinct species.
