Phyllophora crispa (Hudson) P. Dixon

Callophyllis laciniata

Description: Rather crisp, flat, bright red fronds, to 150 mm high, dichotomously branched. Small discoid base and short (less than 10 mm) cylindrical tipe. Bladses with rounded apices, crisped parallel margins, segments shortly stalked with indistinct midrib. Fronds generally encrusted with the circular tube-forming wormSpirorbis, bryozoans, epiphytic coralline algae. etc.
Habitat: Frequent in shady pools in lower intertidal and on rock subtidally. Widely distributed.
Similar species: A northern species, Coccotylus truncatus (Pallas) Wynne et Heine (formerly Phyllophora truncata) is frequent in Scotland, and in the north of England and Wales to Durham and Anglesey, and in Ireland south to Clare Island. This species is easily distinguished by its gradually expanding stipe.

Phyllophora crispa © M.D. Guiry
Phyllophora crispa © M.D. Guiry
List of species

Photographs © M.D. Guiry