Leathesia difformis: Sea cauliflower–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Leastheasia difformis.. G. Fletcher photo

Leathesia is a brown kelp. It is found in the itertidal zone around Race Rocks. It is a small brown alga that is usually found in the form of small hollow irregular balls, it is called Sea Cauliflower because it looks like cauliflower due to the invaginations on the surface of the hollow irregular balls.

Description: This plant is spherical and solid when young, becoming irregularly convoluted, hollow and broadly expanded at maturity; it is spongy in texture, up to 12 cm. in diameter and yellowish brown in colour.

Habitat: On rocks and epiphytic on other algae in the intertidal.Pacific Coast Distribution: Bering Sea to Mexico.    Robert Scagel, 1972
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Protista
Division Phaeaophyta
Class Phaeophyceae
Order Chordariales
Family Chorynoplaeaceae
Genus Leathesia
Species difformis
Common Name: Sea Cauliflower

Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks.

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.

original by Jana Morehouse, PC 2002