Thallus bushy, stiff, compact, forming hemispherical mounds, 5-7(-12) cm high, dark red-brown; branching irregularly dichotomous; calcification moderate. Branches cylindrical, 0.5-1.5(-3) mm diam., densely but evenly covered by stiff hair-like filaments. Medullary filaments 6-20 µm diam., colorless, loosely intertwined. Cortex 2-3 cells thick; subsurface cells oval, longer than wide, 40-55 µm diam., tightly packed; surface cells spherical to oval, 35-50 µm diam., often topped by single filament; surface filaments cylindrical, evenly distributed, 12-18(-22) µm diam., to 1.6 cm long; cells 1-3 diameters long, slightly compressed at joints. Holdfast inconspicuous. Tetrasporangia at apex of surface filaments, occasionally lateral near tip, spherical to oval, to 32 µm diam., cruciately divided. 

Original publication: Lamouroux, J.V.F. (1816). Histoire des polypiers coralligènes flexibles, vulgairement nommés zoophytes. pp. [i]-lxxxiv, chart, [1]-560, [560, err], pls I-XIX, uncol. by author. Caen: De l'imprimerie de F. Poisson.

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Dawes, C.J. & Mathieson, A.C. (2008). The seaweeds of Florida. pp. [i]- viii, [1]-591, [592], pls I-LI. Gainesville, Florida: University Press of Florida.

Lipkin, Y. & Silva, P.C. (2002). Marine algae and seagrasses of the Dahlak Archipelago, southern Red Sea. Nova Hedwigia 75: 1-90, 7 figs.

N'Yeurt, A.D.R. & Payri, C.E. (2010). Marine algal flora of French Polynesia III. Rhodophyta, with additions to the Phaeophyceae and Chlorophyta. Cryptogamie Algologie 31: 3-205.

Papenfuss, G.F., Mshigeni, K.E. & Chiang, Y.M. (1982). Revision of the red algal genus Galaxaura with special reference to the species occurring in the western Indian Ocean. Botanica Marina 25: 401-444, 46 figs.

Wang, W.-L., Liu, S.-L. & Lin, S.-M. (2005). Systematics of the calcified genera of the Galaxauraceae (Nemaliales, Rhodophyta) with an emphasis on Taiwan species. Journal of Phycology 41: 685-703.

Type locality: Jamaica (Silva, Basson & Moe 1996: 110). Notes: Type locality: Bahamas.

Basionym: Corallina rugosa J.Ellis & Solander

Taxonomic notes: According to Silva et al. (1996), the name Galaxaura obtusata has been misapplied to this species by Wynne (1995: 299). John et al. (2004) cite Actinotrichia lapidescens F. Schmitz and Galaxaura coarctata Kjellm. as synonyms of this species.

In need of taxonomic revision (Algaebase).