Hawai'i Coral Reef Network

Marine Plants of Hawai'i

Order Gigartinales

Gracilaria coronopifolia
Description: solid cylindrical branches 1-4mm wide with short pointed tips. red in color but often bleaches to pink or white in bright sunlight. When reproductive "bumps" appear on the surface, it is illegal to collect reproductive Gracilaria coronopifolia
Size: grows 6-20cm tall.
Habitat: on reef flats, but occasionally found in tide pools.

Gracilaria salicornia  
Description: cylindrical branches 2-5mm in diameter, usually distinctive constrictions. Bright yellow to orange-brown.
Size: forms mats 1-5cm thick
Habitat: tide pools and reef flats.
Photograph: Onekahakaha Beach Park, Hilo Hawai'i. 1996

Hypnea musciformis
Description: rounded main branches 1-3mm diameter with short pointed side branches.  Bright yellow to dark red.
Size: length grows from 3-30cm.
Habitat: in shaded areas.

Predaea weldii  
Description: branches are fluorescent red soft and gooey.
Size: reaches a length of 5 cm
Habitat: in subtidal habitats between the branches of corals.

 


Last update: 1/25/2005