Morphology

• Mature thalli are typically between 20 and 70 cm tall.
• Mature blades are lanceolate to oblong with acute apex, can be branched or unbranched, 6-20cm wide
• Fleshy/crispy, 0.2-3 mm thick blade
• Yellow-green to red-purple in color
• Stipe is about 2-3 cm long, frequently bearing lateral bladelets
• Apophysis, the area of transition between stipe and blade, is flattened and fleshy
• Surface covered in bumpy outgrowths (papillae)
• 1 or 2 cystocarps per papilla, sometimes with spines
• Tetrasporanial sori borne at base of slender, elongate papillae with thin attenuating tips.
• Red cortex cells; 5-7 cell layers thick on each side with clear medulla inbetween
• Medullary cells vary in shape and size (1.5-24mm in width), can be very intricate filaments(see image to the left, ~ 1200 micrometers wide) (alagebase.org)
• Growth is multi-axial ( Abbot et al.1976)

References:

Abbott, Isabella A. and Hollenberg, George J. Marine Algae of California. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1976

Algaebase.org, http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=4937