Other algae

Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae: Brown Seaweeds

	Egregia menziesii (Turner) Areschoug Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Laminariales, Family Alariaceae Long straplike thallus 2 cm wide with numerous proliferous blades and small gas-filled floats along opposite edges. Abundant, low intertidal zone to subtidal, exposed & protected outer coast. Geogr. Range: Alaska to Baja Synonyms: Similar species: Image: Mazzaella flaccida (top rt., lower left), erect corallines (pink) \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|
	Laminaria setchellii P.C. Silva Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Laminariales, Family Laminariaceae Thallus with single stiff cylindrical stipe to 50 cm tall; stipe flattens at top and spreads into a single, deeply divided blade which is smooth and rubbery in texture. Abundant, low intertidal zone to subtidal, exposed & protected outer coast. Geogr. Range: Bering Strait to northern Baja Synonyms: Laminaria dentigera Similar species: Pterygophora and Eisenia are subtidal. Image: Egregia across top & far right top. \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|
	Postelsia palmaeformis Ruprecht Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Laminariales, Family Lessoniaceae Thallus with single stiff cylindrical stipe to 60 cm tall; numerous flat corrugated blades; resembles a small palm tree. Locally common, high to mid-intertidal zone often on mussel shells, very wave-exposed outer coast. Geogr. Range: Vancouver Island to Morro Bay, central Calif. Synonyms: Similar species: \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|
	Fucus gardneri P.C. Silva Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Fucales, Family Fucaceae Thallus to 25 cm tall, flattened dichotomous branches with midrib, 15-25 mm wide; olive-brown. Reproductive conceptacles concentrated at branch tips (swollen when mature). Common, upper mid-intertidal zone, protected outer coast. Geogr. Range: Washington to Pt. Conception Synonyms: previously identified as Fucus distichus Similar species: Hesperophycus has conspicuous white hairs. Image: Silvetia compressa (lower left) \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|
	Hesperophycus californicus P.C. Silva Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Fucales, Family Fucaceae Thallus to 40 cm tall, flat with regular dichotomous branches 3-12 mm wide; conspicuous white hairs on either side of midrib; olive-green to yellow-brown. Common, upper mid-intertidal zone, protected outer coast. Geogr. Range: Santa Cruz, CA to Baja Synonyms: Hesperophycus harveyanus Similar species: Fucus gardneri lacks fine white hairs. Image: Silvetia compressa (upper right) \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|
	Silvetia compressa (J.Agardh) Serrao et al. Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Fucales, Family Fucaceae Thallus to 90 cm long, dichotomous branches 2-5 mm wide; subcylindrical with branch tips more compressed; dark olive-green to yellowish-brown. Common, mid-intertidal zone, protected outer coast. Geogr. Range: British Columbia to Baja Synonyms: Pelvetia fastigiata, Fucus compressus Similar species: Fucus & Hesperophycus have wider, more flattened thalli; Hesperophycus has white hairs. \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|
	Analipus japonica (Harv.) Wynne Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Chordariales, Family Heterochordariaceae Thallus to 35 cm long, main axes cylindrical, arising from crustose base with unbranched curved laterals which range from cylindrical to flattened.; dark brown to olive-tan. Common but patchy, upper mid-intertidal zone, protected outer coast with moderate to strong wave action. Geogr. Range: Alaska to Pt Conception Synonyms: Similar species: superficially resembles a finely-branched Chondracanthus canaliculatus but its side branches surround main axis rather than being opposite as in Chondracanthus; much smaller & more delicate than Silvetia. \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|

Phylum Chlorophyta: Green Algae

Codium fragile (Suringar) Hariot
Phylum Chlorophyta, Class Bryopsidophyceae, Order Codiales, Family Codiaceae

Erect thallus to 30 cm long, cylindrical 3-8 mm diameter, ~dichotomously branched; dark green to green-black.

Common, mid- to low intertidal zones; moderately wave-exposed outer coast.

Geogr. Range: Alaska to Baja
Synonyms:
Similar species:

Cladophora columbiana Collins
Phylum Chlorophyta, Class Bryopsidophyceae, Order Cladophorales, Family Cladophoraceae

Dense tufts of bright green, 3-5 cm across.

Common, upper mid- intertidal zone; several different species occur in central California.

Geogr. Range: Vancouver Island to Baja
Synonyms:
Similar species:

Ulva spp. Linnaeus
Phylum Chlorophyta, Class Ulvophyceae, Order Ulvales, Family Ulvaceae

Thallus bright green, 2 cells thick. Several different species; must examine cells to distinguish.

Ephemeral on rocks, mid- to low intertidal zones.

Geogr. Range: widespread along West Coast
Synonyms:
Similar species:

Flowering Plants

Phyllospadix scouleri W.J. Hooker
Phylum Anthophyta, Class Monocotyledonae, Order Alismatales, Family Zosteraceae

Surf grass. Blades >1 m long, 2-3 mm wide.

Abundant, low intertidal zone to subtidal exposed & protected outer coast with wave action; upper limit on shore is a good indicator of ~0 tide level in southern Monterey Bay.

Geogr. Range:
Synonyms:
Similar species: Zostera marina has broader leaves and occurs in more wave-protected locations.

Zostera marina Linnaeus
Phylum Anthophyta, Class Monocotyledonae, Order Alismatales, Family Zosteraceae

Eel grass. Blades >1 m long; 5-6 mm wide.

Abundant, very low intertidal; mostly subtidal in sheltered sites.

Geogr. Range:
Synonyms:
Similar species: Phyllospadix has narrow blades and occurs in wave-exposed locations.

Page created by J.M. Watanabe
All images copyright James Watanabe unless otherwise indicated

Contact: watanabe_at_stanford_dot_edu Last update: 8 May 2012

	Egregia menziesii (Turner) Areschoug Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Laminariales, Family Alariaceae Long straplike thallus 2 cm wide with numerous proliferous blades and small gas-filled floats along opposite edges. Abundant, low intertidal zone to subtidal, exposed & protected outer coast. Geogr. Range: Alaska to Baja Synonyms: Similar species: Image: Mazzaella flaccida (top rt., lower left), erect corallines (pink) \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|
	Laminaria setchellii P.C. Silva Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Laminariales, Family Laminariaceae Thallus with single stiff cylindrical stipe to 50 cm tall; stipe flattens at top and spreads into a single, deeply divided blade which is smooth and rubbery in texture. Abundant, low intertidal zone to subtidal, exposed & protected outer coast. Geogr. Range: Bering Strait to northern Baja Synonyms: Laminaria dentigera Similar species: Pterygophora and Eisenia are subtidal. Image: Egregia across top & far right top. \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|
	Postelsia palmaeformis Ruprecht Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Laminariales, Family Lessoniaceae Thallus with single stiff cylindrical stipe to 60 cm tall; numerous flat corrugated blades; resembles a small palm tree. Locally common, high to mid-intertidal zone often on mussel shells, very wave-exposed outer coast. Geogr. Range: Vancouver Island to Morro Bay, central Calif. Synonyms: Similar species: \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|
	Fucus gardneri P.C. Silva Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Fucales, Family Fucaceae Thallus to 25 cm tall, flattened dichotomous branches with midrib, 15-25 mm wide; olive-brown. Reproductive conceptacles concentrated at branch tips (swollen when mature). Common, upper mid-intertidal zone, protected outer coast. Geogr. Range: Washington to Pt. Conception Synonyms: previously identified as Fucus distichus Similar species: Hesperophycus has conspicuous white hairs. Image: Silvetia compressa (lower left) \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|
	Hesperophycus californicus P.C. Silva Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Fucales, Family Fucaceae Thallus to 40 cm tall, flat with regular dichotomous branches 3-12 mm wide; conspicuous white hairs on either side of midrib; olive-green to yellow-brown. Common, upper mid-intertidal zone, protected outer coast. Geogr. Range: Santa Cruz, CA to Baja Synonyms: Hesperophycus harveyanus Similar species: Fucus gardneri lacks fine white hairs. Image: Silvetia compressa (upper right) \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|
	Silvetia compressa (J.Agardh) Serrao et al. Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Fucales, Family Fucaceae Thallus to 90 cm long, dichotomous branches 2-5 mm wide; subcylindrical with branch tips more compressed; dark olive-green to yellowish-brown. Common, mid-intertidal zone, protected outer coast. Geogr. Range: British Columbia to Baja Synonyms: Pelvetia fastigiata, Fucus compressus Similar species: Fucus & Hesperophycus have wider, more flattened thalli; Hesperophycus has white hairs. \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|
	Analipus japonica (Harv.) Wynne Phylum Ochrophyta, Class Phaeophyceae, Order Chordariales, Family Heterochordariaceae Thallus to 35 cm long, main axes cylindrical, arising from crustose base with unbranched curved laterals which range from cylindrical to flattened.; dark brown to olive-tan. Common but patchy, upper mid-intertidal zone, protected outer coast with moderate to strong wave action. Geogr. Range: Alaska to Pt Conception Synonyms: Similar species: superficially resembles a finely-branched Chondracanthus canaliculatus but its side branches surround main axis rather than being opposite as in Chondracanthus; much smaller & more delicate than Silvetia. \| back to spp. list \| more info \| refs. \| SeaNet home \|