Tokidadendron bullatum

Northern sea oak

Authority: (N.L.Gardner) M.J.Wynne

Thallus is dark red to dusky pink, somewhat crisp, usually 12 cm (5 in) or less in height and up to 5 cm (2 in) wide with smooth, undulating margins, cartilaginous midrib, and opposite veins. Cystocarps develop directly on midrib and veins whereas tetrasporangia develop over the blade. Blades disintegrate after reproduction in spring, leaving only the perennial midrib until new blades proliferate from it the following spring.

Habitat

This species is found on rock in the low intertidal to shallow subtidal of semi-protected to semi-exposed habitats.

North Pacific Distribution

Pribilof and Aleutian Islands, Alaska to central coast of British Columbia; Japan; Russia

Former scientific names

Phycodrys bullata, Phycodrys ambigua, Tokidadendron ambiguum, Pseudophycodrys rainosukei; misidentified as Delesseria kurilensis, Tokidadendron kurilensis