Rhodophyta · Red Seaweed

Constantinea simplex

Setchell
Phylum
Rhodophyta
Class
Florideophyceae
Order
Gigartinales
Family
Dumontiaceae

Constantinea simplex

Simple saucer

Authority
Setchell
Thallus is dark red, with a stout, unbranched stipe to 8 cm (3.1 in) tall and ~5 mm (0.2 in) in diameter, topped by a horizontal saucer-shaped blade to 12 cm (4.7 in) diam. There is no protruding stipe, and a new blade is formed in the center of the old blade without elongation of the stipe between annual blades.

Habitat

Low intertidal bedrock on exposed coasts.

North Pacific Distribution

Aleutian Islands, Alaska, to California

Similar taxa

Other species of Constantinea are branched, and C. subulifera has a protuding stipe starting in late spring.

Last updated December 26, 2010

Photos