Scientific Name:
Trentepohlia
Description
This rust red alga grows in the Cypress Grove of Point Lobos. It lives on tree branches and rocks in this chilly, northern-facing environment. Because the alga often grows on dead branches, some assume that the alga hurts the trees it grows on. But Trentepohlia does not harm the trees on which it is found.
Fun Facts
Trentepohlia actually is a green alga that appears reddish because it produces carotenoid pigments to aid photosynthesis in its typically dark, cold coastal environment. These are the same pigments that give carrots their orange color.
Nature Topics
Photo by Ernie Long