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- Alaria nana desiccating at low tide
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- A. nana exposed at low tide
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- A. nana at back. Nereocystis in front
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- The holdfasts of A. nana attached to barnacles
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- A. nana in the foreground
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- A. nana fronds at low tide
Photos by Ecoguardian Ryan Murphy
Phylum: Phaeophyta
Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Laminariales
Family: Alariaceae
Alaria nana (Schrader)
Description: The plant is olive brown to yellowish-brown in colour with a conspicuous blade (eroded at maturity), stipe, and holdfast. The holdfast is made up of short, firm root-like structures and is 3-7 cm. long, 5-8 mm. in diameter, merging into a slightly compressed rachis 2-4 cm. long. The rachis in turn merges into the blade, which is linear, tapering gradually to the apex and abruptly to the rachis; the blade is 40-60 cm. long and 3-8 cm. wide with a conspicuous, solid percurrent midrib 4-6 mm. wide.
Habitat: On rocks in the middle and upper intertidal zones in exposed areas.
Pacific Coast Distribution: Alaska to California.
Robert Scagel, 1972
See all Phaeophytes in the Race Rocks Taxonomy
 Return to the Race Rocks Taxonomy and Image File |
 The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Ryan Murphy PC yr 26 |