Kallymenia californica, Cruoria profunda

Description: Thallus is dark red, thick, reaching 20 cm (8 in) tall and 30 cm (12 in) wide, with the central blade bearing numerous additional blades from its margin, repeated to several orders (similar to Prickly Pear Cactus), with distinct stipe and fleshy discoidal holdfast. A faint midrib may be evident near the base of some blades. Alternate reproductive phase (the tetrasporophyte) is crustose. Habitat: This perennial is found on rock in the low intertidal and subtidal (to 20 m) of semi-protected to exposed habitats. Similar taxa: Turnerella.