Synoynms: (basyonim) Melobesia brassica-florida Harvey (1849) p. 110; Lithothamnion brassica-florida (Harvey) Areschoug (1852) p. 523; Melobesia notarisii Dufour (1861) p. 39; Lithophyllum insidiosum Solms-Laubach (1881) p. 15-64; Lithothamnion fosliei Heydrich (1897b) p. 58; Lithophyllum fosliei (Heydrich) Heydrich (1897b) p. 410; Choreonema notarisii (Dufour) Foslie (1898a) p. 6; Archeolithothamnion fosliei (Heydrich) Foslie (1898b) p. 4; Goniolithon brassica-florida (Harvey) Foslie (1898b) p. 110; Lithophyllum chaloni Heydrich (1899a) p. 221; Goniolithon notarisii (Dufour) Foslie (1900) p. 21; Goniolithon fosliei (Heydrich) Foslie (1903) p. 470; Lithophyllum notarisii (Dufour) Lemoine (1912) p. LXI; Lithothamnion notarisii (Dufour) Lemoine (1915) p. 26; Neogoniolithon fosliei (Heydrich) Setchell & Mason (1943) p. 90; Neogoniolithon notarisii (Dufour) Hamel & Lemoine (1952) p. 74; Spongites notarisii (Dufour) Athanasiadis (1987) p. 38.

VEGETATIVE FEATURES

Thallus habit: encrusting, adherent, simple or mamillate, sometimes with warty protuberances (thalli rarely loosely adherent with adventitious lamellae). Finely striped, widely lobed and frayed margin; often thickened edge. Size: diameter 2-5cm, 0.6mm thick. Colour of living specimen: from pink to pale violet (characteristic). Colour of dried specimen: from grey mauve to white ivory (rarely). 

Basal crust: multistratose (protuberances formed only by cortical cells), thick tissue. Basal filaments: irregular cells, more or less rectangular: 12-25 (40)µm long x 7-15 (20)µm in diameter. Erect filaments: cells 8-20 (28)µm long x 6-13µm in diameter. Epithallial cells: flattened (A) but not flared, 11.5-16µm in diameter. Cell connections: cell fusions. Other features: trichocytes in vertical rows (B).

REPRODUCTIVE FEATURES

Gametangial conceptacles: spermatangial smaller than carpogonial, 295-335µm in diameter x 350-380µm high; carpogonial like tetrasporangial, inner diameter 460-630µm x 500-710µm high. Tetra/bisporangial conceptacles: uniporate, hemispherical conical or flask-shaped (C), outer diameter 400-1200µm x 500-775µm high, presence of a columella; 300-700µm in diameter x 205-280µm high. Important biometric differences can be observed in other biogeographic areas of the world. Old conceptacles become exfoliated leaving depressions crater-shaped. Phenology: May to August. 

Habitat: epilithic species, rarely on old shells, in sheltered sites or exposed to currents action. This species tolerates salinity, temperature and light changes. Common in “cuvettes” and littoral pools; never epiphytic. It is also an important builder of “trottoir a Vermetidi”. Bathymetric distribution: midlittoral to sublittoral, recorded up to 40m deep. Geographic distribution (Babbini & Bressan 1997):

Alboran Sea (A): Morocco; Western Mediterranean Sea (African shores) (B): Algeria, Tunisia; Middle Western Mediterranean Sea (C): Spain, France, Italy; North Western Mediterranean Sea (D): Spain, France, Italy; North Adriatic Sea (E): Italy, Croatia; Middle Adriatic Sea (G): Italy, Croatia; South Adriatic Sea (G): Italy, Croatia, Albania; South Eastern Mediterranean Sea (H): Italy, Malta, Tunisia, Israel; Middle Eastern Mediterranean Sea (L): Greece, Turkey, Syria; North Eastern Mediterranean Sea (M): Greece, Turkey.