E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Family Description:
Members of this family come in a wide variety of forms, from cylindrical and branched to flattened blades. Some species have a single axial filament, whereas others have a multiaxial filamentous medulla. What unites these species into a single family is the occurrence of the carpogonium at the end of branch of beadlike cells and similarities in the formation of carposporangia after the carpogonium has been fertilized. All of the species described here have an alternation of isomorphic generations, and male and female reproductive structures usually occur on separate individuals.
Species in this family have unusual cell wall carbohydrates that have been shown to have antiviral properties.

Species description:
Dilsea and Neodilsea are quite similar and perhaps should be included in a single genus instead of two. California Red Blade forms a single erect blade (or clusters of blades) that is unbranched (although sometimes it is deeply cleft) and lacks midribs and veins. It is usually brownish or maroon, and can turn paler red to golden at the tip. The blade is up to 30 cm (12 in) tall but is usually shorter, and often has wrinkles across the base. It is quite thick, especially in late summer and fall, not at all transparent, and usually unperforated. The blade is not especially slippery. The gametphytic and tetrasporophytic individuals are similar (isomorphic).

California Red Blade has a fairly high caloric value (3.53 Calories per gram of dry weight).