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Ochrophyta · Brown Seaweed

Scytosiphon lomentaria

(Lyngbye) Link
Phylum
Ochrophyta
Class
Phaeophyceae
Order
Ectocarpales
Family
Scytosiphonaceae

Scytosiphon lomentaria

Soda straws

Authority
(Lyngbye) Link
Thallus is a conspicuous golden brown, unbranched tube with constrictions at more or less regular intervals. Thalli range from 20 to 50 cm (8-20 in) tall and are ~0.5 cm (0.2 in) in diameter; some Alaskan specimens reach over 75 cm (29.5 in) tall. Thalli grow in clusters from a discoidal holdfast (Ralfsia sp.).

Habitat

This weedy annual is commonly found on rock in the mid to low intertidal and in tide pools and ranges from protected to semi-exposed habitats.

North Pacific Distribution

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, Alaska to Baja California, Mexico; China; Korea; Japan; Russia

Former scientific names

Chorda lomentaria, Scytosiphon simplicissimus

Similar taxa

Melanosiphon intestinalis, Scytosiphon spp., Chorda borealis

References

Last updated December 26, 2010

Photos