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Rhodophyta · Red Seaweed

Corallina officinalis

Linnaeus
Phylum
Rhodophyta
Class
Florideophyceae
Order
Corallinales
Family
Corallinaceae

Corallina officinalis

Chalky coral seaweed

Authority
Linnaeus
Thallus is calcareous, articulated, purplish/grayish-pink, reaching 7 cm (3 in) tall from a calcareous crust. Branching is irregular with occasional dichotomies; segments are cylindrical, 2-4 mm (0.08-0.16 in) long and 1-1.5 mm (0.04-0.06 in) diameter. Reproductive conceptacles occur laterally on axial segments; only male conceptacles sometimes occur at branch tips.

Habitat

This species is commonly found in mid intertidal pools, the low intertidal and subtidal zones from semi-protected to semi-exposed habitats.

North Pacific Distribution

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, Alaska to northern Washington; Japan; Russia

Former scientific names

Corallina cretacea, Pachyarthron cretaceum, Amphiroa cretacea, Amphiroa epiphlegmoides, Arthrocardia cretacea, Bossiella cretacea

Similar taxa

Calliarthron tuberculosum, Corallina spp.

References

Last updated December 26, 2010

Photos