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Phyllophorella was recently described from two localities on the central coast of Peru (12°S), based on the endemic species Phyllophora (Ph.) peruviana. The genus currently accommodates three species, Phyllophorella (P.) peruviana, P. humboldtiana and P. limaensis. Recent field surveys for Phyllophorella on the central coast of Peru led to the discovery of collections outside the originally reported ranges. Morphological, anatomical, and genetic characterization of the specimens confirms range extensions for P. peruviana to 9° S and 15° S, and P. humboldtiana to 12° S and 15° S. A combined phylogenetic analysis of rbcL and COI-5P gene sequences supports the taxonomic status of these two species and reasserts the genus as monophyletic. Anatomically, the two species differ in nemathecial structure. Phyllophorella peruviana displays dome-shaped and well-defined circular nemathecia, whereas in P. humboldtiana they are irregular and diffuse in form. Mature cystocarps were observed for the first time in Phyllophorella, in P. humboldtiana from Lima and Ica, Peru. Phyllophorella, as well as the other genera classified to the family Phyllophoraceae, have a procarpic sexual system, with a carpogonial branch of three cells; the cystocarp develops a thickened cortex, is immersed in the medulla, and lacks a pericarp and an ostiole. This study demonstrates that field work, together with morphological, developmental, and genetic analyses, are useful methods for improving our understanding of seaweed distributions and systematics.

Siete especies de Rhodymenia han sido registradas para la costa de Peru, donde seis de ellas crecen en la costa central: R. corallina, R. howeana, R. multidigitata, R. flabellifolia, R. skottsbergii y R. californica . La mas conflictiva taxonomicamente es R. corallina , de la cual se han segregado R. howeana y R. multidigitata , solo en base a caracteres morfologicos externos (forma del estipe y habito de la fronda). Recolecciones recientes e intensivas de este complejo de especies en la costa central del Peru (9°S hasta 15°S) han permitido reunir varios morfotipos, evidenciando la alta variabilidad morfologica presente, que dificulta el poder diferenciar cada uno de los taxones involucrados. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue esclarecer la taxonomia de este complejo mediante la combinacion de datos morfologicos, tanto vegetativos como reproductivos, y de secuencias geneticas utilizando los marcadores rbc L y COI-5P. Especimenes de Callao, localidad tipo de R. howeana y R. multidigitata , fueron analizados molecularmente junto con material de la costa central (Casma hasta Marcona, 9-15°S) y norte de Peru (Piura, 6°S), asi como del norte chico de Chile (Coquimbo, 30°S), resolviendo dos grupos de Rhodymenia : un primer grupo filogenetico asociado a R. corallina de Chile (Coquimbo, 30°S), distribuido a lo largo de toda la costa central peruana (Casma hasta Marcona, 9-15°S) y un segundo grupo restringido a la costa norte de Peru (Piura a Casma, 6-9°S). Estos grupos se diferencian en caracteres de la morfologia externa y reproductiva. Basado en caracteristicas del soro tetrasporangial, se reconoce a R. howeana para el norte del Peru.

Lessonia spicata (Suhr) Santelices is the most ecologically and economically important kelp from Pacific South America. Here, we contribute to the bioinformatics and evolutionary systematics of the species by performing high throughput sequencing on L. spicata from Valparaiso, Chile. The L. spicata complete mitogenome is 37,097 base pairs (bp) in length and contains 66 genes (GenBank accession MK965907), the complete plastid genome is 130,305 bp and has 173 genes (accession MK965908), and the data assembled 7,630 bp of the nuclear ribosomal cistron (accession MK965909). The organellar genomes are similar in structure and content to others published from the Laminariales.