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Desmarestia ligulata (Flattened acid kelp)
Copyright © 2007 Jan Holmes
These brown seaweeds produce and store sulfuric acid. When plants are stressed they release acid breaking down their own tissues and the tissues of other seaweeds nearby. Seaweeds that look like patchy “camouflage material” may be the victims of stressed, acid leaking Desmarestia. Many species of seaweed in our area are edible (although some are more tasty than others) but Desmarestia is one seaweed to avoid.
This species of brown seaweed looks like a flattened cactus. A flat main axis ~2 cm wide with obvious midrib arises from a discoid holdfast. Numerous thinner opposite growing flat side branches are attached to the main axis. D. ligulata grows low to subtidal and reaches ~80 cm in length. Other species of flattened Desmarestia have been described for our area and there is ongoing discussion about the relationships of these species and their exact number. D. munda is described as growing to over 120 cm with side branches as wide as the main axis (4-10 cm.), but strictly subtidal. Beach Watchers have observed individuals that match both descriptions or a combination of the two.
This
page was created by Jan Holmes on 1/7/06.
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