Seagrass laver, red fringe • Smithora naiadum
{Smithora = after Gilbert Morgan Smith, a leading America botanist and phycologist, and a professor of botany at Stanford University}
Left: seagrass laver growing on eelgrass (Zostera marina). Photo by Angeleen Olson. Right: seagrass laver growing on Scouler's surfgrass (Phyllospadix scouleri). Photo by Joel White.
Identification
Seagrass laver is a small red algae that grows on seagrass. It is a reddish-pink to purple colour, with blades to 5 cm long. Multiple blades (up to 30) attach to a small cushion-shaped holdfast via short stalks. Seagrass laver blades are very thin, and have a lobed shape that is widest above the middle.
Habitat & Range
Seagrass laver is an obligate epiphyte, and grows on surfgrass (Phyllospadix spp.) and eelgrass (Zostera spp.) in the low intertidal or high subtidal. Its range extends from Kodiak Island, Alaska to Baja California, Mexico.
Similar Species
Seagrass laver can be mistaken for Pyropia gardneri, another red obligate epiphyte. However, P. gardneri grows on kelps while seagrass laver grows only on seagrasses. Seagrass laver may be difficult to differentiate from Porphyra species, which are also small, thin epiphytes.
Intriguing Info
Seagrass laver holfasts persist year-round. New blades grow in the spring and die back in fall.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/339024-Smithora-naiadum
Seagrass laver is a small red algae that grows on seagrass. It is a reddish-pink to purple colour, with blades to 5 cm long. Multiple blades (up to 30) attach to a small cushion-shaped holdfast via short stalks. Seagrass laver blades are very thin, and have a lobed shape that is widest above the middle.
Habitat & Range
Seagrass laver is an obligate epiphyte, and grows on surfgrass (Phyllospadix spp.) and eelgrass (Zostera spp.) in the low intertidal or high subtidal. Its range extends from Kodiak Island, Alaska to Baja California, Mexico.
Similar Species
Seagrass laver can be mistaken for Pyropia gardneri, another red obligate epiphyte. However, P. gardneri grows on kelps while seagrass laver grows only on seagrasses. Seagrass laver may be difficult to differentiate from Porphyra species, which are also small, thin epiphytes.
Intriguing Info
Seagrass laver holfasts persist year-round. New blades grow in the spring and die back in fall.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/339024-Smithora-naiadum
References
Druehl, L. 2000. Pacific Seaweeds: A guide to common seaweeds of the west coast. Harbour Publishing: Madeira Park, BC, Canada. P. 114.
Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. (2013). Smithora naiadum (C.L.Anderson) Hollenberg. AlgaeBase. National University of Ireland, Galway. Accessed 20/06/2013.
Lindberg, M. and Lindstrom, S. (2010). Smithora naiadum. Seaweeds of Alaska. Accessed 20/06/2013.
O'Clair, R. and Lindstrom, S. Smithora naiadum (Anderson) Hollenberg. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 25/07/2014.
Authors and editors of page
Joel White, Kelly Fretwell, and Brian Starzomski (2014).
Druehl, L. 2000. Pacific Seaweeds: A guide to common seaweeds of the west coast. Harbour Publishing: Madeira Park, BC, Canada. P. 114.
Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. (2013). Smithora naiadum (C.L.Anderson) Hollenberg. AlgaeBase. National University of Ireland, Galway. Accessed 20/06/2013.
Lindberg, M. and Lindstrom, S. (2010). Smithora naiadum. Seaweeds of Alaska. Accessed 20/06/2013.
O'Clair, R. and Lindstrom, S. Smithora naiadum (Anderson) Hollenberg. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 25/07/2014.
Authors and editors of page
Joel White, Kelly Fretwell, and Brian Starzomski (2014).