Info
Ericaria selaginoides (Linnaeus) Molinari & Guiry, 2020
Description: Thalli single, up to 1 m long, bushy, with a pronounced greenish-blue, violet or blue iridescence when submerged, which quickly disappears when the algae is removed from the water. The alga attaches itself through a conical disk. The axis is cylindrical, up to 60 cm long, usually branched and with an inconspicuous tip. Lateral branch systems, which arise in a spiral sequence, are up to 60 cm long, have abundant and multi-pinnate branches.
Habitat: Found in large tidal pools and lagoons where it can be a colorful addition to the flora; also in the shallow tidal area.
The blue color comes from opalescent crystals in the cells' vesicles, which improve photosynthesis by altering the transmittance of light. The amount of available light determines the intensity of the color: the darker it is, the more intense the color of the algae. This also appears to be age dependent, as the younger parts of the fronds have the most intense color.
Distribution: South and west coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, north to the Hebrides in Scotland; Atlantic France and Spain south to North Africa; Western Mediterranean.
This type of algae is the subject of studies for its important antioxidant and cytotoxic properties (toxic substance to a specific type of cell, used mainly to treat cancer, often as part of chemotherapy).
Synonymised names
Carpodesmia tamariscifolia (Hudson) Orellana & Sansón, 2019 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Cystoseira ericoides (Linnaeus) C.Agardh, 1820 · unaccepted (synonym)
Cystoseira ericoides var. divaricata P.J.L.Dangeard, 1949 · unaccepted
Cystoseira ericoides var. laevis P.J.L.Dangeard, 1949 · unaccepted
Cystoseira selaginoides (Linnaeus) Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1832 · unaccepted
Cystoseira tamariscifolia (Hudson) Papenfuss, 1950 · unaccepted > junior objective synonym
Ericaria tamarisca Stackhouse, 1809 · unaccepted (synonym)
Fucus ericoides Linnaeus, 1763 · unaccepted (synonym)
Fucus selaginoides Linnaeus, 1759 · unaccepted
Fucus tamariscifolius Hudson, 1762 · unaccepted
Mackaia ericoides (Hudseon) S.F.Gray, 1821 · unaccepted
Description: Thalli single, up to 1 m long, bushy, with a pronounced greenish-blue, violet or blue iridescence when submerged, which quickly disappears when the algae is removed from the water. The alga attaches itself through a conical disk. The axis is cylindrical, up to 60 cm long, usually branched and with an inconspicuous tip. Lateral branch systems, which arise in a spiral sequence, are up to 60 cm long, have abundant and multi-pinnate branches.
Habitat: Found in large tidal pools and lagoons where it can be a colorful addition to the flora; also in the shallow tidal area.
The blue color comes from opalescent crystals in the cells' vesicles, which improve photosynthesis by altering the transmittance of light. The amount of available light determines the intensity of the color: the darker it is, the more intense the color of the algae. This also appears to be age dependent, as the younger parts of the fronds have the most intense color.
Distribution: South and west coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, north to the Hebrides in Scotland; Atlantic France and Spain south to North Africa; Western Mediterranean.
This type of algae is the subject of studies for its important antioxidant and cytotoxic properties (toxic substance to a specific type of cell, used mainly to treat cancer, often as part of chemotherapy).
Synonymised names
Carpodesmia tamariscifolia (Hudson) Orellana & Sansón, 2019 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Cystoseira ericoides (Linnaeus) C.Agardh, 1820 · unaccepted (synonym)
Cystoseira ericoides var. divaricata P.J.L.Dangeard, 1949 · unaccepted
Cystoseira ericoides var. laevis P.J.L.Dangeard, 1949 · unaccepted
Cystoseira selaginoides (Linnaeus) Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1832 · unaccepted
Cystoseira tamariscifolia (Hudson) Papenfuss, 1950 · unaccepted > junior objective synonym
Ericaria tamarisca Stackhouse, 1809 · unaccepted (synonym)
Fucus ericoides Linnaeus, 1763 · unaccepted (synonym)
Fucus selaginoides Linnaeus, 1759 · unaccepted
Fucus tamariscifolius Hudson, 1762 · unaccepted
Mackaia ericoides (Hudseon) S.F.Gray, 1821 · unaccepted
