Carpospores of Gymnogongrus linearis (C. Ag.) J. Ag. collected from Sonoma Co., California were cultured and gave rise to crustose plants. Tetrasporogenesis could not be induced. However, tetraspores from field‐collected crustose tetrasporophytes found near G. linearis from San Mateo Co., California were cultured. These field crusts superficially resemble Petrocelis middendorffii (Ruprecht) Kjellman, but differ in size, color, number of tetrasporangia per filament, and distal dichotomous branching of the perithallial filaments. Tetraspores gave rise to upright plants identical to G. linearis. Gymnogongrus leptophyllus J. Ag. collected from California and Baja California, Mexico were found as narrow and wide forms. Narrow form isolates recycled directly without producing a crustose tetrasporophyte. These are interpreted as apogamous. Carpospores of the wide form grew into crusts resembling Petrocelis (=Erythrodermis) haematis Hollenberg. Tetrasporogenesis was induced in culture by abrasion or dehydration. Tetraspores from field‐collected crusts and laboratory cultured tetrasporophytes grew into plants identical to G. leptophyllus, completing a sexual life history with an alternation of heteromorphic generations.

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Carpospores from Schizymenia pacifica (Kylin) Kylin (Gymnophlaeaceae) from California formed crusts anatomically identical to Haematocelis rubens J. Agardh (Cruoriaceae). Tetraspores of H. rubens from Monterey, California, and Baja California, Mexico, germinated to form basal discs from which arose upright multiaxial blades with a filamentous medulla and cortical gland cells. Pro‐carps and spermatangia were present on the same blades; subsequently, cystocarps characteristic of Schizymenia pacifica developed. Re‐examination of herbarium specimens suggests that the foliose tetrasporangial phases previously reported as S. pacifica are referable to Halymenia, Dilsea, Cryptonemia, or Turnerella. Schizymenia pacifica (type locality: San Juan Islands, Washington) thus is considered to be the gametophyte in the life history of Haematocelis rubens (type locality: Brest, France), which has also been reported to be the tetrasporophyte of S. dubyi (Chauvin ex Duby) J. Agardh (type locality: Cherbourg, France). Atlantic and Pacific gametophytes and tetrasporophytes are anatomically very similar, suggesting that only one species is involved, but critical studies must be made before a decision on this taxonomic question can be reached. Haematocelis zonalis Dawson et Neushul (type locality: Anacapa Island, California) is considered to be a growth form of the tetrasporangial phase of S. pacifica.

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