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. |
|
