Skip to main content

Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla (Sond.) M.Verlaque, Huisman & Procaccini

Reference
Jongma et al., Bot.Mar. 56:36 (2013)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Scientific Description

Habit and structure. Thallus medium to dark green, spreading laterally to 15 cm, with smooth slender stolons 0.5–1.0 mm diam. Assimilators to 8 cm tall, simple to several times branched. Rachis basally terete, becoming distally compressed, 0.5–1.0 mm wide, bearing opposite distichously arranged closely adjacent ramuli. Ramuli flattened, 1–2 (–3) mm long, slightly upwardly curved and broadest (0.2–0.5 mm) just above the slightly constricted base, tapering to a broad and pointed apex.

Distribution. In W.A., this species is known from Ningaloo Reef south to Albany; invasive in Sicily and Turkey.

Habitat. Epilithic.

[After Belton, Huisman & Gurgel, Algae of Australia: Mar. Benthic Algae of North-western Australia, 1. Green and Brown Algae 98 (2015)]

John Huisman and Cheryl Parker, 3 August 2021

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Swan Coastal Plain.
IBRA Subregions
Fitzgerald, Geraldton Hills, Perth.
IMCRA Regions
Central West Coast, Leeuwin-Naturaliste.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Cockburn, Cottesloe, Dandaragan, Greater Geraldton, Irwin, Jerramungup, Rockingham, Wanneroo.