Dasysiphonia japonica

Thallus erect, bushy, 4.5-10(-20) cm high, with more or less distinct main axis, slightly cartilaginous, 0.5-0.8(-2) mm thick, dark pinkish-red to violet-carmine Main axes cylindrical near base, terete above. The axes and branches polysiphonous composed of 4-5 pericentral cells, corticated. Branching pinnately (3-4 times) in one plane, irregularly alternate. Lateral branchlets subdichotomously branched, fine filamentous, monosiphonous, tapering to apices. Sporangia spherical to oval, to 45 μm in diam., tetrahedrally divided, 4-6 per segment of stichidium. Stichidia widely lanceolate on monosiphonous pedicel with tapering apex, 350-450 μm long, terminal on short branchlets. Cystocarps on monosiphonous pedicle, spherical or oval, to 1 mm in diam., with distinct ostiole. Attachment by a small disc-like holdfast. Growing mostly at 1-3(-17) m depth on stony, sandy and muddysandy bottom in sheltered and semi-sheltered localities and often epiphytic on larger algae.

Note: Source of R-phycoerythrin.

Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Europe, North America. China, Japan, Korea, Russia (the Sea of Japan).