Rust-colored Algae

Description:

Rare rust-colored algae growing on the lee side of rocks and trees at Point Lobos State Reserve on the Monterey Peninsula. The trees are mostly native Monterey Cypress, which are also very rare.

Habitat:

The harshness of the growing conditions on Cypress Point and the deep shade beneath the cypresses limit the number of plant species growing in the cypress forest. There are very few shrub size plants growing in this community, and the small understory plants must be adapted to the deep shade and shallow, nutrient-poor soil.

Notes:

The rust-colored substance glazing much of the coastal foliage is, ironically, green algae dyed by carotene pigment. The surfaces of the trees closest to the direct salt spray are often covered with a bright orange growth. This is Trentepohlia aurea v. polycarpa, a green alga which is rich in beta carotene, giving it a bright orange color. It, too, is nonparasitic and can be found growing on rocks and downed wood along the trail.