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Hedophyllum sessile (Sea cabbage kelp)
Copyright © 2007 Jan Holmes
This perennial brown seaweed lives up to three years in the mid intertidal region of exposed and partly exposed rocky shores. The profusely branched haptera type holdfast leads directly to a blade which can reach 150 cm (5 feet) in length and 80 cm (32 inches) wide. Plants we see on the west side of Whidbey Island and at Rosario Beach are much smaller. The blade is usually split into several pieces and can be smooth or puckered (bullate). The black leather chiton Katharina tunicata grazes heavily on this kelp.
This
page was created by Jan Holmes on 1/6/07.
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