Home / Ochrophyta / Phaeophyceae / Laminariales / Arthrothamnaceae
Ochrophyta · Brown Seaweed

Cymathaere triplicata

(Postels & Ruprecht) J.Agardh
Phylum
Ochrophyta
Class
Phaeophyceae
Order
Laminariales
Family
Arthrothamnaceae

Cymathaere triplicata

Three-ribbed kelp

Authority
(Postels & Ruprecht) J.Agardh
Thallus of this light to sometimes reddish brown kelp has a discoidal holdfast, a stipe up to 25 cm (10 in) long, a linear blade up to 4 m (13 ft) long and 18 cm (7 in) wide, and three riblike folds. No other kelp has this configuration. This species has a distinctive cucumber-like aroma that can often be smelled before the kelp is seen, only young blades are palatable.

Habitat

This annual kelp grows on rock (often cobble) in the low intertidal to upper subtidal from semi-protected to semi-exposed habitats.

North Pacific Distribution

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, Alaska to northern Washington; Russia

Former scientific names

Laminaria triplicata, Saccharina triplicata

References

Last updated December 26, 2010

Photos