Tubular thicket algae

Appearance

Thallus fragile, bushy, pinkish-purple, grayish-violet or whitish, forming tufts, 6-12(-15) cm high. Branching regular dichotomous. Branches consist of slight calcified, smooth segments. Segments cylindrical, 1.0-2.0(-2.5) mm diam., 5-6(-11) mm long, slightly constricted at both ends, sometimes broader near apices, with faint annulations and with obvious depressions at truncate tips. Joints flexible, non-calcified. Holdfast small, discoid, inconspicuous.

Distribution

In tropical and subtropical waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Habitat

Growing in shallow protected areas on rocks, in crevices, dead coral fragments, to subtidal (30 m).