Anyone good with coastal marine plants? I found this thing growing in the tidepools at Boiler Bay (just north of Depoe Bay), and I don't even know where to start IDing it. The long stem looks like kelp, but what's with the very round leaf? I know I should have tried to get a photo of the roots/holdfast, but I didn't. Mea culpa.
Algae/kelp ID
- adamschneider
- Posts: 3716
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
- Location: SE Portland
- Contact:
Re: Algae/kelp ID
Is the blade really round? There are a limited number of brown algae that inhabit Oregon tide pools, so I'd go with kombu (Laminaria setchellii). The single stiff stipe is distinctive; a kombu blade is deeply cleft but may seem to float as an entire unit. Other brown tide pool algae with single wide blades are sessile (as far as I can figure out).
- adamschneider
- Posts: 3716
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
- Location: SE Portland
- Contact:
Re: Algae/kelp ID
I think you're definitely onto something. Yes, the blade was mostly round, with a slight notch/depression at the end. Maybe this one was just getting started.
- adamschneider
- Posts: 3716
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
- Location: SE Portland
- Contact:
Re: Algae/kelp ID
Maybe Laminaria sinclairii is a better match? Check out this entry on iNaturalist.
Re: Algae/kelp ID
I think that fits your description! And it appears to be very common in Oregon.