Bossiella frondescens

Enigmatic coral seaweed

Authority: (Postels & Ruprecht) E.Y.Dawson

Thallus is calcareous, articulated, appearing light pink to light purple and reaching 3.5 cm (1.4 in) tall from a basal crust. Branching is feather-like (pinnate) to somewhat irregular. Axial segments are <1 mm (0.04 in) long, flattened, and winged, with terminal segments often broadly expanded, and occasional basal and terminal cylindrical sections.

Habitat

One of Alaska’s most common corallines, this species occurs on emergent rock and in tidepools in the mid to low intertidal of protected to exposed habitats.