Brushy Red Weed

Appearance

Rather soft, cylindrical, dull purplish pink fronds, 3 mm wide, to 600 mm long. Branches numerous, alternate, branchlets tapered at both ends. Branches sometimes drawn out into long twisting tendrils. Multiaxial, medulla a cordlike strand of loosely interwoven, narrow filaments, surrounded by large, rounded cells, with outer layer of small, angular, assimilatory cells. Said to have an onion-like smell shortly after collection.

Naming

Other common names: Purple Claw Weed

Synonym: Cystoclonium purpureum

Habitat

On rocks and stones intertidally, in large pools (below), and in shallow subtidal, generally distributed, abundant.