| Areschougiaceae () |
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sessile; marine |
| Indian Ocean: in Malaysia and Singapore; Pacific Ocean: in China and Japan, south to the South China Sea (Viet Nam and Philippines). |
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Thalli form thick clumps, consisting of many clavate branches with slightly acute apices. Branches are densely covered with simple or compound spinose tubercles, regularly arranged into distinct nodes and internodes, forming verticils at the nodes; the verticils overlap at the distal portion of the branches so that the verticillate arrangement is obscured. Cross- section of a branch reveals a medulla composed of large rounded cells interspersed with smaller cells. Cortical cells very small, ovoid or elongated. Thalli up to 15 cm in height (Ref. 80758). It is easily mistaken for a live coral because of its close resemblance to corals of the genus Acropora (Ref. 80758). |
| Utilized for human consumption; a source of carrageenan (Ref. 80758). Grows on live corals, algal limestones or basalt substrates in close association with living hard and soft corals in lower intertidal to upper subtidal reef areas where the current is swift and the water free from silt (Ref. 80758) |
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Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
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| harmless |
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