Types of Seaweed to be
found on Coverack Beach
Seaweed, name commonly used for the multicellular marine algae. Simpler forms, consisting of one cell (e.g., the diatom) or of a few cells, are not generally called seaweeds; these tiny plants help to make up plankton. The more highly developed types of seaweed usually have a basal disk, called a holdfast, and a frond of varying length and shape, which often resembles a plant in having stemlike and leaflike parts.

Bladder Wrack

Height: 60cm.
The seaweed gets its name from the pairs of bladders, or pockets, of air that keep it upright in the water. It has a large holdfast.

Sea Lace

Length: Up to 6m
Sea Lace looks like long, thin cords waving in the water. It lives in shallow water and grows extremely long compared to other seaweeds.

Knotted Wrack

Height: 1m
This seaweed grows in strap-like fronds. It can be found on sheltered rock on the middle shore. It has tufts of red seaweed growing on it.

Sea Lettuce

Height: 20cm
It is fairly common to see the wavy leaves of the 'Sea Lettuce' on all types of shore. This seaweed grows darker with age.

Channel Wrack

Height: 10cm
The edges of this seaweed's fonds are curved to form channels, which is how it gets its name. Look for it on the upper shore.

Oarweed

Height: 1.5m
This seaweed grows in wide blades, that are divided into strap-like fronds. You can see it on rocks in shallow water.

Giant Kelp

Height: up to 100cm
There are several kinds of Giant Kelp. Huge foests of it grow off the Californian coast. The strap-like fronds can grow to massive lengths.

Edible Dulse

Height: Up to 30cm
Red seaweed which lives underwater in the rock pools where the light is poor.

Eel Grass

Height: 1m
This likes growing in sheltered coastal environments.

Gut Laver

Height: 20cm
This seaweed grows in tube-like fronds. It is very common and may cover pools on the upper shore.