Orange Finger Sponge

Description:

Holopsamma laminaefavosa, commonly known as finger sponge, is a member of the marine family of demosponges Microcionidae. Colour of these sponges varies from dull orange to brown, grey and cream. "Finger Sponges are sessile (unable to move around) and they attach themselves to rocks using a 'holdfast'. This is a specialised tissue for clinging onto rocks that looks a little like the roots of a plant. During storms sponges can be dislodged and washed up on beaches where they are commonly found." (Atlas of Living Australia)

Habitat:

Spotted on a beach at Norah Head, on the NSW Central Coast. Obviously washed up from a subtidal rocky reef by recent heavy seas.

Notes:

I've placed this spotting in the "others" category for the simple reason that sponges are multicellular organisms belonging to the Phylum: Porifera, of the Kingdom: Animalia. Sponges were first to branch off the evolutionary tree from the common ancestor of all animals, making them the sister group of all other animals.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponge Hence, they are not plants.