Osmundaria prolifera Lamouroux, 1813: 23, pl. 7: figs. 4–6 (type locality: "Nov. Holl.'' [possibly Western Australia]).—Decaisne, 1846–1864: 8, pl. 3: fig. A.— Falkenberg, 1901: 469–471, pl. 8: figs. 24–26.— De Toni, 1903: 1109–1110.— Lucas, 1909: 46.— De Toni & Forti, 1923: 48.— Lucas & Perrin, 1947: 299–300.— Kylin, 1956: 547, fig. 436C.— V. May, 1965: 398.— R. Norris, 1991a: 7–10.
Polyphacum proliferum (Lamouroux) C. Agardh, 1820a: 106–107.—C. Agardh, 1824: 274.— Harvey, 1847 [1847–1849]: 17.— Sonder, 1848 [1846–1848]: 185.— Kützing, 1849: 879.— Harvey, 1862: pl. CLXXXVIII.— Harvey, 1863: xvi.— Kützing, 1866: 3, pl. 7: figs. g–i, k, l.
Taxonomic synonym:
Vidalia gregaria Falkenberg, 1901: 435–436, pl. 8: figs. 22, 23 (type locality: not specified [King George Sound, Western Australia fide Harvey, 1862: pl. CLXXXVIII]).—De Toni & Forti, 1923: 47–48.— V. May, 1965: 398.
INDIAN OCEAN DISTRIBUTION: Australia.
Note: Harvey (1862: pl. CLXXXVIII: fig. 2) illustrated a plant with small blades, which he considered a juvenile form of Osmundaria prolifera. Falkenberg (l.c.) disagreed with this interpretation and established a new species, Vidalia gregaria, to accommodate such plants. R. Norris (1991a: 7–8) agreed with Harvey.