About Corallina officinalis L.
Corallina officinalis L. has a thallus that is firmly attached, generally to rock, and grows in tufts up to 120 millimeters long. It features articulated pinnate branching with successive opposite lateral branches. Each frond is made of cylindrical calcified stipes, with segments that are each slightly longer than broad. These stipes grow from a crustose base like a string of beads, and become larger and more wedge-shaped further up the stipe. Fronds are pinkish in color, and may bleach to white when exposed to direct sunlight. This species is common, found growing on solid rock around Great Britain, Ireland, and the Isle of Man. It is also recorded along the North Atlantic coast, ranging from northern Norway to Morocco, and occurs intermittently from Greenland to Argentina. Populations are also found in the USA, Argentina, and other regions including parts of Japan, China, Australia, and New Zealand. In New Zealand, it occurs in the intertidal zone of coasts around the Kermadec Islands, North Island, South Island, Chatham Island, Stewart Island, Antipodes Islands, and Auckland Islands. For reproduction, sexes are held on separate individuals, and reproductive structures appear as small chalky nodules. Ecologically, Corallina officinalis grows on rocks in rock pools, and occasionally grows on shells or other algae. It occurs from the mid-littoral zone down to 33 meters deep, and provides habitat for many small animals that feed on microorganisms living within its dense tufts.
