Broad unbranched blades in clumps; younger blades smooth & iridescent, older blades large & fleshy with course papillae (reproductive cystocarps).�

Abundant; on rocks; one of the dominant space occupants, especially in shallower areas of kelp forest.

|�back to spp. list | more info | refs.�|�kelp forest index |

Thalli small and delicately branched,� 4-8 cm; main axis 5x broader than higher order branches; tips only a few mm wide.�

Moderately common, but inconspicuous due to size; on rocks throughout kelp forest.

|�back to spp. list | more info | refs.�|�kelp forest index |

Clusters of thin, smooth blades lacking midrib or veins; main axis broader, with successive orders of branching become increasingly narrower.

Common on rocks throughout kelp forest, especially in shallower areas.

Single disc-like blade 4-10 cm diameter growing around central discoid holdfast; bluish-red, slippery, tough.

Moderately common, on rocks.

Lance-shaped blades 30-50 cm long with obvious midrib & forked veins; dark red. �Thalli are annual; begin to grow in mid-winter, reach maximum length in early summer; lateral margins erode thereafter with remaining portion growing many papillae. �

Locally common, but infrequently encountered in kelp forests; on rocks in very wave-exposed sites subject to heavy surf; low intertidal zone to subtidal.

Erect stiff branches 8-15 cm tall, dichotomous branches 4-6 mm wide at tip; tips robust & somewhat thick; dark wine-red.

Moderately common; on rocks at shallower depths within kelp forest, often mixed with geniculate corallines.

Thallus 10-40 cm tall, cylindrical; cylindrical side branches off main axis are lumpy & taper to a point. Color varies from dark red to pale red.

Common on rocks, especially in shallow areas.

Thallus 4-25 cm tall with several erect axes; flattened cylinder in cross section; delicate plume-like side branches curve to a pointed tip; main axis has a zig-zag appearance; shiny red.

Common, on rocks throughout kelp forest.�

Flat thalli 3-13 cm long, dichotomously branched; tips usually rounded, 3-10 mm wide & rather thin. Branch tips broader than�Rhodymenia�californica (in top & upper right of photo).

Very abundant, on rocks. One of the dominant space occupants along with�Chondracanthus corymbiferus & geniculate corallines. Older thalli usually encrusted heavily with bryozoans, spirorbid tube worms, and hydroids.

Flat thalli 3-7 cm long, dichotomously branched; tips rounded, pointed or irregular 1.5-3 mm wide.�

Very abundant, on rocks mingled with�Rhodymenia pacifica.�Older thalli usually encrusted heavily with bryozoans, spirorbid tube worms, and hydroids.

Thallus to 16 cm tall; irregularly dichotomous branches with tips 8-10 mm wide with rounded tips; iridescent� purple; arching internal septa are visible when thallus held up to light.

Common but seasonal (rare in winter), on rocks throughout kelp forest.

Thallus 10-15 cm tall; several cylindrical axes with fingerlike bladders 1-3 cm long filled with mucoid polysaccharides; dark red.

Common, on rocks throughout kelp forest, but especially in intermediate & shallower depths.

Thalli 3-12 cm in clusters forming a flattened rosette around discoid holdfast; deep red with iridescent blue; blade often with obvious bumps (reproductive cystocarps).�

Moderately common, on low-lying rocks.

Thalli 10-26 cm tall, erect, cylindrical in cross section to 2.5 mm diameter; branching irregular to dichotomous; apices of branches hollow with transverse septa; dark red �to greenish-brown depending on location & time of year.

Common in relatively sheltered sites, on rocks in�shallow subtidal & especially low to mid-intertidal; ~seasonal, regrowing from persistent basal portions after winter erosion.

Thallus of 1-2 flattened stipes 20-30 cm tall from discoid holdfast; branches dichotomous 2-5 mm wide with flattened lanceolate lateral proliferations. Branch widths remain ~constant throughout length; relatively stiff; dark red with main axes appearing nearly black in low light.

Common, on rocks in shallower portions of kelp forest; also abundant in mid to low-intertidal zone where plants are somewhat more bushy.

Thallus 10-50 cm growing from ribbon-like base; blades thin & mildly iridescent; branches elongate, fan-shaped, deep rose to brownish-red with lateral proliferations & ruffles;�vein-like midribs visible near base of blades.�

Common, on rocks or growing epiphytically on geniculate corallines throughout kelp forests in areas with stronger water motion.

Thallus 5-50 cm tall; blades branched with fan-shaped tips, midribs of visible veins begin at base of blades and divide upward, becoming microscopic. �Margin of blades vary from smooth to having small proliferations or�ruffles. Brownish-red to rose red with greenish tints.

Common, on rocks in low intertidal and subtidal habitats.

Thallus planar 35-40 cm tall (usually smaller); main axis with many highly branched delicate laterals.�

Common, epiphytic on larger red algae such as blades of Chondracanthus corymbiferus (as in photo).

Turf of small filament-like thalli to several cm tall; a large number of species have this morphology. Non-descript to unaided eye; only reveal their delicate beauty & diverse morphology under the microscope.

Common, but patchy; often in recently disturbed locations or low-lying rocks where scour by shifting sediment occurs frequently.

Thallus to 40 cm tall, flattened cylinder in cross section; side branches arise from distinct main axis with ultimate branchlets usually�1 mm wide; rose to dark red.

Common, low intertidal zone to subtidal; protected outer coast.

Erect, pink jointed thalli to 12 cm long, from crustose base; impregnated with CaCO₃; intergenicula (areas between joints) flattened throughout with blunt wings, >2 mm long at branch tips, 4+ conceptacles (bumps with reproductive structures) on faces (but not lateral margins) of fertile intergenicula.

Abundant on rocks in areas with high water motion.

Erect, pink jointed thalli 20-30 cm long, from crustose base; impregnated with CaCO₃; basal intergenicula (areas between joints) rounded in cross section & longer; upper intergenicula flattened with wings angled 45-60� from main axis; conceptacles (bumps with reproductive structures) on�lateral margins of fertile intergenicula (on some faces of lower intergenicula).

Abundant, on rocks with strong water motion.

Pink, calcified crusts covering rocks. Microscopic examination of reproductive structures usually needed to identify.

Very abundant, on rocks everywhere.