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

Family Description:
Members of this family are cylindrical or flattened, branched or unbranched, and fleshy or cartilaginous. The medulla is composed of large, globose cells (no filaments). Reproduction is as described for the order.

Species description:
This species is similar to Sea Spaghetti, but grows to only about 50 cm (20 in) tall. It is brownish to reddish brown in color, and has sparsely branched, cylindrical branches up to 2 mm in diameter. Often, spinelike branches grow near the base of the main stems.
The carposporophytic generation forms globular bumps that are scattered on the branches.

This species is not common, but can be found growing in protected waterways. It attaches to rocks, often ones that are partly buried in mud. It is edible, and has also been used as a source of agar that serves as a thickening agent.