Tubed Weeds1
Polysiphonia lanosa1
Phylum: Rhodophyta
Family: Rhodomelaceae
Polysiphonia lanosa is a dominant epiphyte on the rockweed Knotted Wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum). I refer to it by its scientific name, because the common name Tube Weed is used for a number of species in the same genera that share its polysiphonous structure, which basically means that with a hand lens it looks like a tuft of tiny connected filamentous tubes1. I see them as the cheerleader of rockweed epiphytes because they look like little brown pom poms, sometimes with hints of maroon or yellow.
Range: shared with Knotted Wrack Ascophyllum nodosum.
References:
1. Gosner, Keneth L. (1978), Peterson Field Guides: Atlantic Seashore – A field guide to sponges, jellyfish, sea urchins, and more