Golden Kelp

Description:

Ecklonia radiata, commonly known as golden kelp, is a large brown to golden-brown seaweed up to 1.5 meters long. It has frilled fronds (lateral lamina) branching out from a flat wide stem (central lamina). The stem (stipe) is rounded and at the base has a holdfast that looks like the rooting part of a tree. This is not technically a root, but and anchoring device for the seaweed to hold steady on the rocks underwater. (from the Diego Bonetto website - see notes)

Habitat:

Spotted on a beach at Norah Head, on the NSW Central Coast. Grows in dense forests to depths of approximately 25m. Obviously washed ashore from a subtidal rocky reef by recent heavy seas.

Notes:

Kelps are large brown algae seaweeds that make up the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera. Despite its appearance, kelp is not a plant; it is a heterokont.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelp NB: Golden kelp is an edible species and has considerable nutritional and medicinal properties. Here are a couple of very informative sites should you require further information.... https://vitalveda.com.au/learn/foraging-... https://www.diegobonetto.com/blog/golden...