Chorda borealis

Spaghetti kelp

Authority: H.Kawai, T.Hanyuda & G.W.Saunders

This light brown kelp has a long, firm, smooth, cylindrical, whiplike thallus 0.5 cm (0.2 in) in diameter and up to 1 m (3.3 ft) or more tall, which tapers to a tiny discoidal holdfast. Air pockets are visible inside the thallus, causing the thallus to float toward the surface. There are no constrictions along the thallus.

Habitat

This uncommon kelp is an annual and may be found growing on rock (often pebble or cobble) in the very low intertidal to upper subtidal in protected habitats with slight current.