Ralfsia longicellularis is known as an endemic species in Far East Asia. In this study, we report R. longicellularis as a new record from Korea based on morphological and molecular analyses. Molecular analyses based on plastid-encoded rbcL gene sequences and morpho-anatomical studies were undertaken on Ralfsia species, a poorly studied genus from Korea. Ralfsia longicellularis is mainly characterized by a dark brown thallus; 770-1200 μm thick, curved cells in the creeping and ascending parts of the filaments; basal layer and erect filament cells with a width-to-length ratio of 1 : 1.5 to 10; narrowshaped sporangia on-stalk cells at the base of the paraphyses; and mostly uniseriate plurilocular reproductive organs capped with 1-2 sterile cells. The R. longicellularis samples from Korea in this study were similar to ones collected from the type locality (Peter the Great Bay, Russia) in morphology. The rbcL analyses also revealed that our Korean R. longicellularis samples were placed in the same clade with Russian materials, within a Ralfsia clade but distinct from the congeners.

Abstract
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
    1. Morphology
    2. Molecular study
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
    1. Morphological observations
    2. Phylogenetic analyses
REFERENCES

• Antony Otinga Oteng’o(Department of Life Science, Chosun University)
• Boo Yeon Won(Department of Life Science, Chosun University) Corresponding author