Seaweed descriptions and pictures
Here is a selection of about 120 common seaweeds from the north-eastern Atlanic, most of which occur in Norway, Britain, Ireland, Atlantic France and Spain, and Portugal. Web pages have so far been completed for those with links (underlined). Please bear with me while the descriptions and pictures are refined. It is also intended to provide a synoptic, interactive key later. Suggestions for additions and corrections to Michael Guiry. Where there is no common name in brackets, none exists.
Brown algae (Kelps, wracks, etc.)
- Alaria esculenta (Dabberlocks, Wing Kelp, Murlins)
- Ascophyllum nodosum (Asco, Sea Whistle, Bladderwrack)
- Bifurcaria bifurcata (Brown Tuning Fork Weed; Brown Forking Weed)
- Carpomitra costata
- Cladostephus spongiosus
- Colpomenia peregrina (Oyster Thief)
- Cystoseira baccata (Bushy Berry Wrack)
- Cystoseira nodicaulis
- Cystoseira tamariscifolia Bushy Rainbow Wrack)
- Dictyopteris polypodioides
- Dictyota dichotoma
- Fucus ceranoides (Horned Wrack; Estuary Wrack)
- Fucus guiryi (Guiry's Wrack)
- Fucus serratus (Serrated Wrack)
- Fucus spiralis (Spiralled Wrack)
- Fucus vesiculosus (Bladderwrack)
- Himanthalia elongata (Thongweed, Buttonweed, Sea Sphagetti)
- Pelvetia canaliculata (Chanelled wrack)
- Laminaria hyperborea (Kelp, May Weed)
- Laminaria digitata (Kelp)
- Padina pavonia (Peacock's Tail)
- Petalonia fascia (Sea Petals, Broad Leaf Weed)
- Saccharina latissima (Sugar Kelp; formerly Laminaria saccharina)
- Saccorhiza polyschides (Furbelows, Sea Hedgehog, Kelp)
- Sargassum muticum (Japweed, an alien species in Europe)
- Scytosiphon lomentaria
- Undaria pinantifida (Wakame)
- Taonia atomaria
Red algae (Dulse, Carrageen Moss, etc.)
- Acrosorium ciliolatum
- Aglaothamnion sepositum
- Ahnfeltia plicata (Landlady's Wig; Black Scour Weed)
- Ahnfeltiopsis devoniensis Devonshire Fan Weed)
- Apoglossum ruscifolium
- Asparagopsis armata (Harpoon weed, an alien species in Europe)
- Bangia fuscopurpurea
- Bonnemaisonia asparagoides (Native)
- Bonnemaisonia hamifera (Bonnemaison's Hook Weed; an alien species in Europe)
- Brongniartella byssoides (Bronginart's Thread Weed)
- Calliblepharis ciliata
- Calliblepharis jubata (False Eylash Weed)
- Callophyllis laciniata (Fried-egg weed; Beautiful Fan Weed)
- Catenella caespitosa (Creeping Chain Weed)
- Ceramium nodulosum (also known as Ceramium rubrum)
- Ceramium virgatum (aka Ceramium rubrum)
- Champia parvula
- Chondris capillaris (Slender Cartilage Weed)
- Chondria coerulescens (Iridescent Cartilage Weed)
- Chondris dasyphylla (Diamond Cartilage Weed)
- Chondria verticillata
- Chondrus crispus (Carrageen Moss, Irish Moss)
- Chondracanthus acicularis (Creephorn)
- Chylocladia verticillata
- Colaconema caespitosum
- Corallina elongata (A smaller and less common version of Corallina officinalis)
- Corallina officinalis (Corallina)
- Cordylecladia erecta (Erect Clublet)
- Cryptopleura ramosa
- Cystoclonium purpureum (Purple Claw Weed)
- Dasya hutchinsiae
- Delesseria sanguinea
- Dilsea carnosa (False dulse)
- Drachiella spectabilis (Only subtidal)
- Dudresnaya verticillata (Mostly subtidal)
- Dumontia contorta (Dumont's Tubular Weed)
- Erythrodermis traillii
- Erythroglossum laciniatum (Mostly subtidal)
- Furcellaria lumbricalis (Black Carrageeen; Clawed Fork Weed)
- Gelidium pulchellum
- Gelidium pusillum
- Gelidium spinosum (Spiny Straggle Weed)
- Gigartina pistillata (Pestle Weed)
- Gracilaria bursa-pastoris (Shepherd's Purse Wart Weed)
- Gracilaria gracilis (Slender Wart Weed)
- Grateloupia filicina (Grateloup's Fern Weed)
- Gymnogongrus crenulatus (Norwegian Fan Weed)
- Halarachnion ligulatum (Exclusively subtidal)
- Halopithys incurvus
- Halurus equisetifolius (Sea Horsetail)
- Halurus flosculosus (Mrs Griffiths's Little Flower)
- Helminthora divaricata
- Heterosiphonia japonica (Introduced alien; Siphoned Japan Weed)
- Heterosiphonia plumosa (Siphoned Feather Weed)
- Hildenbrandia rubra
- Jania rubens
- Jania squamata (also known asHaliptylon squamatum)
- Kallymenia reniformis (Mainly subtidal)
- Laurencia obtusa
- Lomentaria articulata
- Lomentaria clavellosa
- Lomentaria orcadensis (Orkney Bead-weed; Orkney Weed)
- Mastocarpus stellatus (Grape Pip Weed)
- Meredithia microphylla (Exclusively subtidal)
- Membranoptera alata
- Mesophyllum lichenoides (Pink Plates)
- Nemalion helminthoides
- Nitophyllum punctatum
- Odonthalia dentata (Primarily subtidal, often in drift in northern areas)
- Osmundea hybrida (Rounded Fern-weed)
- Osmundea osmunda (Pepper Dulse; Royal Fern-weed)
- Osmundea pinnatifida (Pepper Dulse)
- Palmaria palmata (Dulse, Dillisk)
- Phycodrys rubens
- Phyllophora crispa
- Phyllophora pseudoceranoides (Stalked Leaf Bearer)
- Phyllophora sicula (Hand Leaf Bearer)
- Phymatolithon calcareum (Maërl, Coral beaches, Coral strands)
- Plocamium cartilagineum (Cock's Comb; Red Comb Weed)
- Plumaria plumosa (Soft Feather Weed)
- Polyides rotundus (Discoid Fork Weed)
- Polysiphonia elongata (Elongate Siphon Weed)
- Pterocladiella capillacea (formerly Pterocadia capillacea; Branched Wing Weed)
- Porphyra dioica (Nori, Laver, Sloke)
- Porphyra linearis (Nori, Laver)
- Porphyra miniata (Nori, Laver)
- Porphyra umbilicalis (Nori, Laver)
- Pterothamnion plumula (Bushy Feather Weed)
- Ptilota gunneri (Feathered Wing Weed)
- Rhodomela confervoides (Straggly Bush Weed)
- Rhodomela lycopodioides (Straggly Tail Weed)
- Rhodothamniella floridula
- Rhodochorton purpureum
- Rhodymenia ardissonei (Spiky Rose Weed)
- Rhodymenia holmesii (Holmes's Rose Weed)
- Rhodymenia pseudopalmata (Rosy Fan weed)
- Solieria chordalis (Solier's Red String Weed)
- Schizymenia dubyi
- Schottera nicaeensis
- Schmitzia hiscockiana
- Sphaerococcus coronopifolius (Berry Wart Cress)
- Sphondylothamnion multifidum (Whorled Bush Weed)
- Spyridia griffithsiana (Hairy Basket Weed)
- Stengoramma interrupta (Papery Fan Weed)
- Vertebrata lanosa
Green algae (Sea Lettuce, etc.)
- Cladophora rupestris
- Codium fragile (Spongeweed)
- Codium tomentosum (Spongeweed)
- Monostroma grevillei
- Prasiola stipitata
- Spongomorpha aeruginosa
- Ulva compressa (A kind of Sea Lettuce; tube-like green alga)
- Ulva rigida (Sea Lettuce)
- Umbraulva olivascens (Sea Lettuce, but olive-green in colour rather than grass-green)
Seagrasses (Not Algae)
- Zostera marina (Eel Grass)
seaweed GUIDE book
Seaweeds -
A colour identification guide to seaweeds of the World. By Wolfram Braune & Michael Guiry. In English. More information.
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