Globally: From Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico.  Also reported in Japan and extremely common in CA 
Locally: Roche Harbor, Waldron Island, Point no Point, Vancouver BC, Hein Bank. Specimens used for this study were collected on a dredge at Mosquito Pass off Roche Harbor, San Juan Island, Washington at depths of 13 meters.

Habitat: Low Intertidal to subtidal growing on rocks (saxicolous) or epiphytically

“Ptilota filicina". J. Agardh.  Algae Base.  May 6, 2008.  <http://algaebase.org/search/speies/detail/?species_id64698>.

FHL Herbarium accessed May 6, 2008.