Hedophyllum sessile : All Photos by Ryan Murphy
Description: This plant is an ovate blade with a short stipe when young, but the stipitate region soon disappears and subsequently the profusely branched root-like holdfast arises from the base of the blade. The blade becomes markedly furled and often deeply dissected (especially in surf-swept regions). The plant is 30-150 cm. long and up to 80 cm. wide. The surface of the blade is densely bullate, except near the base, where it is smooth (in surf-swept regions it may be completely smooth)
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- Growth on the concrete beside the docks.
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- When exposed to warmer temperastures in the late spring the leaves bleach and become frayed
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- A typical low intertidal location.
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- It occupies the intertidal zone just above the surf grass.
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- This algae is very slippery.
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- Be sure not to step on it. It is probably the most dangerous brown algae in the intertidal zone!
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- Here it is exposed hydrocoral in a shaded location on the north side of the island.
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Protochtista
Division: Phaeophyta
Class: Phaeophyacea
Order: Laminariales
Family: Laminariaceae
Genus: Hedophyllum
Species: sessile
Common Name: stipless kelp, sea cabbage
Habitat: On rocks in the middle and lower intertidal and upper subtidal zones.
Hedophyllum is a brown algae. It has no stipe (that is the origin of its common name- stipe-less kelp). Its holdfast is usually very developed and the blades vary between bright and dark brown according to site of habitation.
It lives and grows in mid and lower intertidal zones of Race Rocks. Found in both wave exposed and sheltered sites. in the wave exposed areas, the blades are generally smooth and shreaded to thiner blades, while in the protected areas, the blades have wavy surface and they are generally longer. The length of the blades vary between 20 cm and 40 cm.
Pacific Coast Distribution: Alaska to California.Robert Scagel, 1972
Other Phaeophytes or Brown Algae at Race Rocks
 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. , 8/12/02 Oriya Barzel –2002 |