Turbinaria ornata (Turner) J. Agardh 1848


Division     Ochrophyta
Class     Phaeophyceae
Order     Fucales
Family    Sargassaceae
Basionym     Fucus turbinatus var. ornata Turner
SynonymFucus turbinatus var. ornata Turner; Sargassum turbinatum var. ornatum (Turner) C.Agardh

    Thalli dark brown, 10 -25 cm high and 2-5 mm braod, extremely stiff, attached by inconspicuous conical holdfast forming one to several erect axes and dichotomously branched, glabrous, creeping, cylindrical stolons, 2-7 cm long and 0.5-2.5 mm broad. Main axes single, rarely 2-3, cylindrical, unbranched or with 3-4 secondary branches. The main and secondary axes densely packed with lateral limited growth (Leaves). ‘Leaves’ peltate, with a distinct smooth stalk and a typical triangular distal margin with rounded angles, 1-2 cm long and 1.2 cm wide. distal margin with either a complete double row of irregularly placed teeth or a complete marginal row of teeth and only a few intra-marginal teeth; blades often depressed in the center where the submerged air bladder is placed.


    Thalli monoecious, receptacle bisexual, borne on the adaxial side of axis of leaf. Receptacle cylindrical, repeatedly dichotomously branched, 5-14 mm long and 1-2.5 mm broad.


Ecology

Epilithic, shallow subtidal along medium surf-exposed coasts.


Distribution in India

Andaman Islands, Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat.