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s A Field Guide to the British Seaweeds - NMBAQC

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Plumaria plumosa<br />

This species is dark purple and filamen<strong>to</strong>us with a<br />

soft, fine, and very delicate morphology consisting<br />

of numerous branches and growing up <strong>to</strong> 10cm<br />

long. The plant is generally monosiphonous but<br />

lower portions may be covered in small cells.<br />

Branches are both long and short although <strong>the</strong>se<br />

are not regularly alternate and may appear tatty in<br />

older plants. They are commonly found in<br />

amongst mats on both vertical rock and within<br />

overhangs in <strong>the</strong> mid but mostly lower lit<strong>to</strong>ral. Not<br />

<strong>to</strong> be confused with Ptilota gunneri.<br />

Polyides rotundus<br />

Plants are cartilaginous and <strong>to</strong>ugh, completely terete<br />

throughout and usually dark red or black in colour. Its<br />

branching is generally quite regular and dicho<strong>to</strong>mous and<br />

tends <strong>to</strong> be more highly branched <strong>to</strong>wards <strong>the</strong> apices<br />

which taper <strong>to</strong> a point. This species is very <strong>to</strong>lerant of sand<br />

and is most commonly found in sandy rockpools attaching<br />

with a discoid holdfast. Easily confused with Furcellaria<br />

and requires basal portion for correct identification.<br />

Polyides showing terminal dicho<strong>to</strong>mous<br />

branching and discoid holdfast<br />

Plumaria with long and<br />

short branches, in its<br />

natural habitat and showing<br />

monosiphonous fronds

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