Laminaria saccharina: The Race Rocks Taxonomy

lsaccharina

A young Laminaria saccharina showing bullations. All photos by Ryan Murphy

Phylum: Phaeophyta
Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Laminariales
Family: Laminaracea
Laminaria saccharina (L.) Lamouroux

Description: This plant is rich brown colour with a conspicuous holdfast, blade, and stipe. The holdfast is composed of branched root-like structures. The stipe varies in length from 5 to 50 cm., from 6 to 9 mm. in diameter, is terete, flattening above the base of the blade.   The blade is smooth, with or without two rows of bullations, sometimes undulate, and tapered to broadly rounded at the base; it is 12-18 cm. broad and 2.5-3.5 m. long.
Habitat: On rocks in the lower intertidal and upper subtidal zones.
Pacific Coast Distribution: Alaska to Oregon and in the Channel Islands, California.  Robert Scagel, 1972

Other Phaeophytes or Brown Algae at Race Rocks

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pearsonlogo2_f2The 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