Brown Seaweeds Phylum Phaeophyta, Class Phaeophyceae
Fucus (Rockweed)
*Found and identified at Cattle Point, Rialto Beach, and Tongue Point at Salt Creek in high and mid-intertidal zones on rocks.
Size: Up to 20 inches long
Distinguishing Characteristics: Olive-green to yellowish-brown in color. Flattened thallus with a midrib with branches which divide into 2 parts.
Other facts: Very common in the Pacific Northwest. Makes a popping sound when stepped on, but doing so is not recommended. Food to some snails, limpets, and isopods.C

Pelvetiopsis limitata (little rockweed)
*Found and identified at Willapa Bay and Rialto Beach in upper to mid-intertidal zones.
Size: up to 3.25 inches tall
Distinguishing Characteristics: olive color; Grows erect, has flattened stems that branch several times.
Other Facts: Found usually on top of rocks on open coasts. Similar in appearance to fucus, but lacks a midrib and blades are not as flat.

Nereocystis leutkeana (Bull kelp)
*Found and identified at Cattle Point, Rialto Beach, and Salt Creek in the rocky, low intertidal zone.
Size: Stalk is up to 20 meters long, blades up to 3 meters long.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Part of large kelp forests, stalk ends in a bulbous, gas-filled float with 4 flat blades.
Other Facts: Annual plant. Dies in winter and often washes up on shore. Dead kelp serves as food for urchins as well as shelter and food for many other marine organisms.
More info on Nereocystis leutkeana

Alaria marginata (Winged kelp)
*Found and identified at Cattle Point in the rocky intertidal, low-tide zone.
Size: 13 inches long.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Brown to olive-green in color. Narrow fronds with a raised midrib and flat, ruffled edges.
Other Facts: Fruiting blades in the spring and summer.

Laminaria Setchellii (Split kelp)
*Found and identified at Cattle Point, Rialto Beach, and Salt Creek in low, intertidal zones.
Size: Up to 1.5 m long
Distinguishing Characteristics: Branched holdfast, long and stiff stipe; divided blades that droop from stip on calm days during low tide.
Other Facts: Often mistaken for sea palms. Usually found in groups

Egregia menziesii (Feather boa kelp)
*Found and identified at Rialto Beach and Salt Creek in rocky, low intertidal zones.
Size: Up to 20 m long
Distinguishing Characteristics: Long stipe, olive to dark brown, some round bulbs. Similar in appearance to a feather boa (hence the common name)
Other Facts: One of the largest of the intertidal brown kelps.

Colpomenia peregrina (Round brown bag)
*Found and identified at Rialto Beach in the mid-intertidal zone.
Size: sacs up to 10 cm long
Distinguishing Characteristics: saclike, brown algae. Forms a cluster of fingerlike sacs. Almost always found growing on rocks.
Other Facts: Often confused with Leathesia difformis, but it is significantly slimier.

Leathesia difformis (sea cauliflower)
*Found and identified at Salt Creek in the rocky, mid-intertidal zone.
Size: up to 2.5 cm tall, 12 cm in diameter
Distinguishing Characteristics: On rocks or on other algae; Light green in color; similar in appearance to cauliflower.
Other Facts: Often confused for Colpomenia peregrina, but it is not as slimey.

Red Seaweeds Phylum Rhodophyta, Class Rhodophyceae
Endocladia muricata (Sea Moss)
*Found and identified at Fox Island, Rialto Beach, and Tongue Point at Salt Creek in mid- and upper intertidal zones.
Size: Up to 3 inches tall
Distinguishing Characteristics: Pinkish to dark red, to dark brown clumps of stiff, bushy, sping branches.
Other Facts: Very abundant in the Pacific Northwest. Grazed on by some forms of limpets.

Neorhodomela larix (Black pine)
*Found and identified at Cattle Point in the rocky, low intertidal zone.
Size: Up to 20 cm long.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Wiry branches with clusters of small branchlets. Dark brown to black in color.
Other Facts: Provides shelter for other organisms.

Halosaccion (Dead man’s fingers, sea sacs)
*Found and identified at Cattle Point and Salt Creek in mid-intertidal zones.
Size: Up to 15 cm tall, 2 cm wide.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Look like little air filled, green fingers. Often inflated with water
Other Facts: eaten by limpets. Also uses as shelter for other species.
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Chondracanthus exasperatus (Turkish towel)
*Found and identified at Rialto Beach in the mid-intertidal zone.
Size: 1m long , to 30 cm wide.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Broad, thick blades with edges and flat surfaces. Bright red in color. Iridescent when wet.
Other Facts: Often found washed up on beaches

Sea Grasses Phylum Anthophyta, Class Monocotyledoneae
Zostera marina (Eelgrass)
*Found and identified at Willapa Bay, False Bay, Rialto Beach, and Tongue Point at Salt Creek in low intertidal and/or subtidal zones.
Size: Blades are up to 1.2 m long and 6mm wide.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Blades have longitudinal veins, dull green in color. Many other plants and animals live on or under the blades.
Other Facts: Native species unlike the similar looking Zostera japonica.

Zostera japonica (Dwarf eelgrass)
*Found and identified at Willapa Bay in the mid-intertidal zone.
Size: Leaves up to 20 cm long, about 3mm wide.
Distinguishing Characteristics: Usually found in sand-mud bays. Much thinner and shorter than Zostera maina. Also dull green in color and also home to many different animal and plant species.
Other Facts: Brought in from Japan.

Phyllospadix (Surfgrass)
* Found and identified at Cattle Point and Tongue Point at Salt Creek in low intertidal zones.
Size: Blades are up 1m long, narrow, flat blades 3mm wide
Distinguishing Characteristics: Bright green leaves; small flowers in the summer time
Other Facts: Attached to rocks on shores