Identification Factsheets of the
Marine Benthic Flora (Algae)
of Southern Australia
Author: R.N. Baldock (Bob)
© R.N. Baldock 2010-2019
These factsheets have been developed to aid in the identification of
species from the rich algal diversity of our southern Australian coasts.
Through the personal efforts of Emeritus Professor H.B.S. Womersley and
those of his many students and helpers, some 90,000 algal specimens have
been added to the main collection in the State Herbarium of South Australia.
Added to this are 20,000 prepared microscope slides of algal structures
essential in species identification.
An overview of the algae factsheets is contained in the introduction.
As an Honorary Associate of
The State Herbarium of South Australia, Bob has spent many years photographing
the species and slides to provide this rich visual experience.
Marine Indicator Species of Southern Australian Reefs
I. Calcareous Flat Reefs in Temperate Waters of Moderate Wave Action
II. Reefs of Resistant Crystalline Rocks in Rough Temperate Waters
III. Calcareous Reefs of Dune-Rock (aeolianite) in Rough Cold-Temperate Waters
IV. Calcareous Reefs and Deep Sediments in S Australian Gulfs
Pictured Keys of Common Southern Australian Marine Plants
Southern Australian Groups at a glance
Algal intimates
Blue green algae
Marine algal crusts, stains, scums and scales
Seagrass epiphytes
Acrotylaceae
Anotrichium
Areschougiaceae
Austrophyllis and Callophyllis
Bead-like red algae
Bonnemaisoniaceae
Callophycus
Champiaceae
Cystocloniaceae
Delesseriaceae
Dicranemataceae
Dictyomenia
Dumontiaceae
Gelidiaceae
Gigartina
Gigartinaceae
Gracilariaceae
Griffithsia
Halymeniaceae
Hildenbrandia
Hypneaceae
Kallymenia
Lomentariaceae
Mychodea
Nemastomataceae
Nizymenia
Peyssonneliaceae
Phacelocarpus
Phyllophoraceae
Plocamium
Polysiphonia
Porphyra and Pyropia
Rhodymeniaceae
Cystophora
Cystophora look alikes
Dictyotaceae
Sargassum
Sargassum look alikes
Caulerpa
Chaetomorpha
Cladophora species group IIIA
Cladophora species group IIIB
Cladophora species group II
Cladophora species group I
Codium
Rhizoclonium
Ulva
Rhodophyta (red algae)
Acanthophora dendroides
Acrosorium ciliolatum
Acrosorium minus
Acrosymphyton taylorii
Acrotylus australis
Adelophycus corneus
Aeodes nitidissima
Ahnfeltiopsis fastigiata
Ahnfeltiopsis humilis
Amansia mamillaris
Amphiplexia hymenocladioides
Amphiplexia racemosa
Anotrichium crinitum
Anotrichium elongatum
Anotrichium licmophorum
Anotrichium subtile
Anotrichium tenue
Anotrichium towinna
Antithamnion diminuatum
Antithamnion uniramosum
Antithamnioniella glandifera
Antrocentrum nigrescens
Apoglossum spathulatum
Areschougia
Areschougia congesta
Areschougia ligulata
Areschougia stuartii
Asparagopsis armata
Asparagopsis taxiformis
Audouinella blumii
Audouinella nakamurae
Austroclonium charoides
Austrophyllis alcicornis
Austrophyllis harveyana
Bangia atropurpurea atropurpurea
Bangia atropurpurea subsp. brevisegmenta
Bead-like red algae
Betaphycus speciosum
Bonnemaisonia australis
Bonnemaisonia spinescens
Bornetia binderiana
Bornetia tenuis
Botryocladia sonderi
Botryoglossum cartilagineum
Calliblepharis planicaulis
Callithamnion circinnatum
Callithamnion confertum
Callithamnion pinnatum
Callithamnion propebyssoides
Callophycus costatus
Callophycus dorsifera
Callophycus harveyanus
Callophycus laxus
Callophycus oppositifolius
Callophyllis cervicornis
Callophyllis lambertii
Callophyllis rangiferina
Caloglossa leprieurii
Caloglossa ogasawaraensis
Capreolia implexa
Carpopeltis elata
Carpopeltis phyllophora
Carpopeltis spongiiplexa
Catenella nipae
Cephalocystis furcellata
Ceramium cupulatum
Ceramium wilsonii
Chamaethamnion schizandra
Champia affinis
Champia insignis
Champia parvula
Champia viridis
Champia zostericola
Champiocolax lobata
Chauviniella coriifolia
Chondria hieroglyphica
Chondria lanceolata
Chondria subsecunda
Chylocladia grandis
Cirrulicarpus nanus
Cirrulicarpus polycoelioides
Claudea elegans
Claviclonium ovatum
Coelarthrum cliftonii
Coelarthrum opuntia
Coeloclonium debile
Cottoniella fusiformis
Craspedocarpus blepharicarpus
Craspedocarpus ramentaceus
Craspedocarpus tenuifolius
Craspedocarpus venosus
Crassilingua marginifera
Crouania brunyana
Cryptonemia digitata
Cryptonemia kallymenioides
Cryptonemia nitophylloides
Cryptonemia undulata
Cryptonemia wilsonii
Curdiea angustata
Curdiea crassa
Curdiea obesa
Dasya atactica
Dasya hapalathrix
Dasya tenuis
Dasyphloea insignis
Dasythamniella superbiens
Delisea elegans
Delisea hypneoides
Delisea plumosa
Delisea pulchra
Dichotomaria australis
Dichotomaria obtusata
Dichotomaria spathulata (Galaxaura marginata)
Dicranema cincinnalis
Dicranema revolutum
Dicroglossum crispatulum
Doxodasya hirta
Dudresnaya australis
Episporium centroceratis
Erythroclonium angustatum
Erythroclonium muelleri
Erythroclonium sedoides
Erythroclonium sonderi
Erythronaema ceramioides
Erythronema ceramioides
Erythrotrichia ligulata
Erythrymenia minuta
Faucheopsis coronata
Ganonema codii
Ganonema farinosum
Gelidiella antipai
Gelidiella ramellosa
Gelidium asperum
Gelidium australe
Gelidium crinale
Gelinaria ulvoidea
Gibsmithia womersleyi
Gigartina brachiata
Gigartina densa
Gigartina disticha
Gigartina muelleriana
Gigartina pinnata
Gigartina recurva
Gigartina sonderi
Gigartina wehliae
Glaphyrymenia pustulosa
Gloiocladia australis
Gloiocladia fruticulosa
Gloiocladia halymenioides
Gloiocladia polycladia
Gloiophloea rosea
Gloiophloea scinaioides
Gloiophyllis barkeriae
Gloiosaccion brownii
Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis
Grateloupia intestinalis
Grateloupia ovata
Grateloupia subpectinata
Griffithsia balara
Griffithsia crassiuscula
Griffithsia elegans
Griffithsia grandis
Griffithsia gunniana
Griffithsia monilis
Griffithsia ovalis
Griffithsia pilalyea
Griffithsia pulvinata
Griffithsia teges
Gymnogongrus crenulatus
Gymnogongrus griffithsieae
Gymnothamnion nigrescens
Halicnide similans
Halopeltis australis
Halopeltis cuneata
Halopeltis cuneata (halymenioides)
Halopeltis verrucosa
Halymenia floresia
Halymenia kraftii
Halymenia muelleri
Halymenia plana
Haraldia australica
Haraldiophyllum erosum
Haraldiophyllum nottii
Helminthocladia australis
Helminthocladia beaugleholei
Helminthocladia densa
Helminthocladia dotyi
Helminthora australis
Helminthora lindaueri
Hemineura frondosa
Hennedya crispa
Heterodoxia denticulata
Heterostroma nereidiis
Heterothamnion platythalieae
Heterothamnion sessile
Hildenbrandia crouaniorum
Hildenbrandia lecannellieri
Hildenbrandia patula
Hildenbrandia rubra
Hirsutithallia abaxialis
Hormophora australasica
Hymenena affinis
Hymenena curdieana
Hymenena endiviaefolia
Hymenena multipartita
Hymenocladia chondricola
Hymenocladia divaricata
Hymenocladia filiformis
Hymenocladia usnea
Hypnea charoides
Hypnea filiformis
Hypnea ramentacea
Hypnea valentiae
Hypoglossum armatum
Hypoglossum dendroides
Hypoglossum harveyanum
Hypoglossum harveyanum var fimbriatum
Hypoglossum heterocystideum
Hypoglossum protendens
Hypoglossum revolutum
Interthamnion attenuatum
Kallymenia cribrogloea
Kallymenia cribrosa
Kallymenia rubra
Kallymenia spinosa
Kallymenia tasmanica
Kraftia dichotoma
Laurencia distichophylla
Leptophyllis conferta
Leptosomia rosea
Liagora harveyana
Liagora wilsoniana
Lomentaria australis
Lomentaria monochlamydea
Lomentaria pyramidalis
Lophosiphonia obscura
Martensia australis
Melanema dumosum
Melanthalia abscissa
Melanthalia concinna
Melanthalia obtusata
Micropeuce proxima
Micropeuce sarcocaulon
Mychodea acanthymenia
Mychodea acicularis
Mychodea australis
Mychodea carnosa
Mychodea disticha
Mychodea gracilaria
Mychodea hamata
Mychodea marginifera
Mychodea pusilla
Mychodea ramulosa
Mychodea spinulifera
Myriogramme cartilaginea
Myriogramme gunniana
Naccaria
Nanopera merrifieldiae
Nemalion helmithoides
Nitophyllum crispum
Nitophyllum fallax
Nitophyllum pulchellum
Nitospinosa littledipensis
Nitospinosa pristoidea
Nitospinosa tasmanica
Nizymenia australis
Nizymenia conferta
Nizymenia furcata
Nothogenia fastigiata
Pachymenia orbicularis
Peltasta australis
Peyssonnelia boudouresquei
Peyssonnelia capensis
Peyssonnelia dubyi
Peyssonnelia foliosa
Peyssonnelia inamoena
Peyssonnelia novae-hollandiae
Peyssonnelia splendens
Phitymophora amansioides
Phitymophora hypoglossum
Phycodrys australasica
Pityophycos tasmanica
Placophora binderi
Platoma australicum
Platoma foliosum
Platyclinia crenulata
Platyclinia stipitata
Pollexfenia crispata
Pollexfenia lobata
Pollexfenia pedicellata
Polycoelia laciniata
Polyopes constrictus
Polyopes tasmanicus
Polyopes tenuis
Polysiphonia brevisegmenta
Polysiphonia haplodasyae
Polysiphonia propagulifera
Polysiphonia teges
Porphyra columbina
Porphyra lucasii
Porphyra woolhousiae
Porphyridium purpureum
Predaea huismanii
Pterocladia lucida
Pterocladia rectangularis
Pterocladiella (Pterocladia) capillacea
Pterocladiella minima
Pterothamnion flexile
Ptilocladia gracilis
Ptilonia australasica
Ptilonia subulifera
Ptilophora prolifera
Rhabdonia clavigera
Rhabdonia coccinea
Rhabdonia verticillata
Rhipidothamnion secundum
Rhodoglossum gigartinoides
Rhodopeltis australis
Rhodophyllis membranacea
Rhodophyllis multipartita
Rhodophyllis volans
Rhodymenia cuneata
Rhodymenia foliifera
Rhodymenia halymeniodes
Rhodymenia leptophylla
Rhodymenia obtusa
Rhodymenia prolificans
Rhodymenia stenoglossa
Rhodymeniocolax austrina
Robea costata
Sarcodia marginata
Sarconema filiforme
Sarcothalia crassifolia
Sarcothalia insidiosa
Sarcothalia radula
Scageliopsis patens
Schizoseris bombayensis
Schizoseris hymenena
Schizoseris perriniae
Schizoseris tasmanica
Schizymenia dubyi
Schottera nicaeensis
Scinaia acuta
Scinaia arborealis
Scinaia proliferata
Scinaia tsinglanensis
Semnocarpa corynephora
Semnocarpa minuta
Solieria robusta
Solieria tenera
Sonderopelta coriacea
Stenogramme interrupta
Stenogramme leptophylla
Stictosporum nitophylloides
Sympodophyllum reinboldii
Taenioma perpusillum
Thamnoclonium dichotomum
Thamnophyllis lacerata
Tikvahiella candida
Tolypiocladia penningtonensis
Trematocarpus affinis
Trematocarpus concinnus
Tsengia comosa
Tsengia feredayae
Tsengia laingii
Tylocolax microcarpus
Tylotus obtusatus
Webervanbossea kaliformis
Webervanbossea splachnoides
Webervanbossea tasmanensis
Womersleya monanthos
Zymurgia chondriopsidea
Brown algae
Acrotrichium amphibolis
Chlanidophora microphylla
Colpomenia ecuticulata
Dictyopteris acrostichoides
Dictyopteris australis
Dictyopteris gracilis
Dictyopteris muelleri
Dictyopteris nigricans
Dictyota alternifida
Dictyota dichotoma
Dictyota diemensis
Dictyota fenestrata
Dictyota furcellata
Dictyota naevosa
Dictyota radicans (prolifera)
Dilophus angustus
Dilophus crinitus
Dilophus fastigiatus
Dilophus gunnianus
Dilophus marginatus
Dilophus robustus
Dilophus tener
Discosporangium mesarthrocarpum
Distromium flabellatum
Distromium multifidum
Elachista claytoniae
Exallosorus olsenii
Glossophora nigricans
Gononema ramosum
Halothrix ephemeralis
Hapalospongidion capitatum
Homoeostrichus canaliculatus
Homoeostrichus sinclairii
Kuetzingiella species
Lobophora variegata
Lobospira bicuspidata
Mesogloiopsis tasmanica
Myriactula caespitosa
Myriactula filiformis
Myrionema latipilosum
Nereia lophoclada
Pachydictyon paniculatum
Pachydictyon polycladum
Padina elegans
Padina fraseri
Padina gymnospora
Padina sanctae-crucis
Papenfussiella extensa
Sargassum kendrickii
Scoresbyella profunda
Spatoglossum australasicum
Sphacelaria chorizocarpa
Sphacelaria multiplex
Sphacelaria spuria
Sphacella subtilissima
Sporochnema tomentosum
Strepsithalia aemula
Strepsithalia leathesiae
Taonia australasica
Zonaria angustata
Zonaria crenata
Zonaria spiralis
Zonaria turneriana
Green algae
Acetabularia calyculus
Acetabularia peniculus
Apjohnia laetevirens
Avrainvillea clavatiramea
Blidingia marginata
Blidingia minima
Bryopsis australis
Bryopsis foliosa
Bryopsis gemellipara
Bryopsis macraildii
Bryopsis minor
Bryopsis plumosa
Bryopsis vestita
Callipsygma wilsonis
Caulerpa alternans
Caulerpa brownii
Caulerpa cactoides
Caulerpa cliftonii
Caulerpa distichophylla
Caulerpa ellistoniae
Caulerpa flexilis
Caulerpa hedleyi
Caulerpa hodgkinsoniae
Caulerpa longifolia
Caulerpa obscura
Caulerpa papillosa
Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea
Caulerpa remotifolia
Caulerpa scalpelliformis
Caulerpa sedoides
Caulerpa simpliciuscula
Caulerpa taxifolia
Caulerpa trifaria
Caulerpa vesiculifera
Chaetomorpha aerea
Chaetomorpha billardieri
Chaetomorpha capillaris
Chaetomorpha coliformis
Chaetomorpha indica
Chaetomorpha linum
Chaetomorpha melagonium
Chaetomorpha valida
Chlorodesmis baculifera
Cladophora aegagropiloidea
Cladophora rhizoclonioidea
Cladophoropsis herpestica
Cladophoropsis magna
Cladophoropsis membranacea
Codium apiculatum
Codium australicum
Codium capitulatum
Codium dimorphum
Codium duthieae
Codium fragile
Codium galeatum
Codium harveyi
Codium laminarioides
Codium lucasii
Codium mamillosum
Codium muelleri
Codium perriniae
Codium pomoides
Codium silvae
Codium spinescens
Codium spongiosum
Dasycladus densus
Derbesia marina, Halicystis ovalis
Derbesia tenuissima, Halicystis ovalis
Dictyosphaeria sericea
Enteromorpha clathrata
Enteromorpha compressa
Enteromorpha flexuosa
Enteromorpha intestinalis
Enteromorpha linza
Enteromorpha paradoxa
Enteromorpha prolifera
Enteromorpha ralfsii
Entocladia viridis
Halimeda cuneata
Lamprothamion papulosum
Microdictyon umbilicatum
Palmellaceae
Pedobesia clavaeformis
Percursaria percursa
Prasiola crispa
Prasiola stipitata
Pseudochlorodesmis australis
Pseudocodium australasicum
Rhipilia pusilla
Rhipiliopsis peltata
Rhipiliopsis robusta
Rhizoclonium curvatum
Rhizoclonium implexicum
Rhizoclonium riparium
Rhizoclonium tortuosum
Rosenvingiella polyrhiza
Sporocladopsis (Pilinia) novae-zelandieae
Struvea plumosa
Ulothrix subflaccida
Ulva australis
Ulva fasciata
Ulva lactuca
Ulva rigida
Ulva spathulata
Ulva taeniata
Ulvaria oxysperma
Ulvaria shepherdii
Uronema marinum
Urospora penicilliformis
Wittrockiella salina