Ochrophyta · Brown Seaweed

Agarum clathratum

Dumortier
Phylum
Ochrophyta
Class
Phaeophyceae
Order
Laminariales
Family
Agaraceae

Agarum clathratum

Sieve kelp

Authority
Dumortier
Thallus of this medium brown kelp has a branched holdfast (haptera), a stipe up to 30 cm (12 in) long, a stiff blade riddled with small, distinctive holes, and a wide midrib. The blade grows to 90 cm (35 in) long and 50 cm (20 in) wide. When present, fertile patches (sori) are found toward the edges of the blade.

Habitat

This perennial kelp is found on rock in the very low intertidal to subtidal to a depth of at least 15 m (50 ft) and prefers a semi-protected habitat.

North Pacific Distribution

Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea, Alaska to northern Washington; Korea; Japan; Russia

Former scientific names

Fucus agarum, Fucus pertusus, Agarum cribrosum, Agarum gmelini

Similar taxa

Agarum turneri, Neoagarum fimbriatum, Thalassiophyllum clathrus

Last updated December 26, 2010

Photos