© Michael Hawkes (Photo ID #26976)
Family Description:
The sporophyte is the macroscopic phase in the life history of members of this family. It can form parenchymatous blades or hollow, globose sacs or tubes whose reproductive organs can protrude from the cortex or occur in sori over its surface. In some species, reproductive cells from these sporangia repeat the same phase rather than give rise to the gametophyte. Sexual reproduction, where it is known, is isogamous and occurs in the microscopic, filamentous gametophytes.
Species description:
Twisted Sea Tubes looks similar to Soda Straws but lacks the diagnostic constrictions on its tubes, is darker colored, and is often twisted.
This is a very weedy species that is an early colonizer of bare space on rocks. At higher elevations in the intertidal zone, it grows in tidepools. Occasionally it occurs epiphytically.
Source: North Pacific Seaweeds
Source: North Pacific Seaweeds
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Myelophycus intestinalis