BOTANY GATHERING – FEBRUARY 15, 2016 – MIRACLE BEACH ( Betty B’s house)
About 10 of us braved the weather and had a short walk along the beach managing to collect enough samples to examine before the rain started.
Most of the seaweeds we collected were in the Rhodophyta (red algae) group, with only a few green and brown. Green included the expected sea lettuce (Ulva/ulvaria sp), and brown included rock-weed (Fucus sp.), and two examples of kelps, Laminaria saccharina and Agarum fimbriatum. Of the reds, we found three that are particularly common on our beaches Porphyra sp. – purple laver, Microcladia coulteri – delicate sea lace, and Chondracanthus exasperatus – turkish towel.
We looked at epiphytic seaweeds (Microcladia couteri on Chrondracanthus exasperatus) and examples of Bryozoa, tiny animals living in colonies on the seaweed.
Betty also demonstrated how to prepare and dry the Microcladia so that it could 
be mounted onto a greetings card or whatever, and we decided that at some point we should look into edible seaweed in more detail.
Out next meeting will be on March 14th at Karin Franzen’s house – and with a walk around Morrison Creek Park. A tour of the Morrison Creek Headwaters will take place a little later in the Spring.
List of the collected species so far identified. I have attached a couple of photos, but for more illustrations see Seaweeds of Alaska. Alison Maingon.
Agarum fimbriatum fringed sieve kelp
Chondracanthus exasperatus Turkish towel
Constantinea simplex or rosa-marina cup and saucer
Endocladia muricata sea moss
Fucus sp. rock-weed
Laminaria saccharina sugar kelp
Mastocarpus papillatus Turkish washcloth
Microcladia coulteri delicate sea lace
Neorhodomela larix black larch
Porphyra sp. purple laver
Prionitis lanceolata or sternbergii bleach weed
Ulva/Ulvaria sp. sea-lettuce
Possible IDs
Cryptopleura ruprechtiana distinctive veins visible – no common name
Gracilaria sp. red spaghetti
