Slender-beaded Coral Weed, also known as Jania rubens, is a species of red seaweeds.
It’s found in European waters and is also known by the names Corallina rubens and Jania corniculata.
This seaweed is a red alga that can grow up to 40 mm high and has a rose-pink color.
What Does Slender-beaded Coral Weed Look Like?
Slender-beaded Coral Weed has slender, rose-pink, articulated, calcified fronds that form rounded bunches up to 50 mm high.
This seaweed has repeatedly dichotomously branched segments, which means they split into two equal parts.
The segments are cylindrical and can be up to 100 µm in diameter. The branches are somewhat compressed and can be up to 200 µm in diameter.
Attachment
This alga is fixed to solid surfaces by small conical discs.
It can also spread by developing attachment discs from branches that come into contact with solid substrata.
Similar species
Slender-beaded Coral Weed is similar to Corallina elongata, which has pinnately branched fronds, in contrast to the dichotomous branching of Slender-beaded Coral Weed.
Where Does Slender-beaded Coral Weed Grow?
Habitat
Slender-beaded Coral Weed is an epiphytic seaweed, meaning it grows on other plants.
It’s found only growing on older plants of the brown algae Cladostephus spongiosus and at the base of old, long-established Cystoseira species.
It can be found in the lower intertidal zones of southern and western shores, often in abundant amounts.
Biotope
Slender-beaded Coral Weed is rather rare and is found in well-lit, subtidal rocky surfaces from 8 to 10 meters deep.
It also grows in sandy sea floors and herbariums of eelgrass. This alga is typically found as an epiphyte on brown and red macroalgae.
When Does Slender-beaded Coral Weed Grow the Most?
Slender-beaded Coral Weed has maximum development during the autumn and winter seasons.
Where Is Slender-beaded Coral Weed Found in The World?
The geographical distribution of Slender-beaded Coral Weed includes the Baltic Sea and Norway in the north, Portugal, Senegal, east Africa, and the Azores in the south.
It’s also found in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, the Indian Ocean, the Black Sea, and the China Sea, as well as around Brazil.
In the British Isles, it’s found in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, southwest England, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.
On the Atlantic coast of North America, it’s found from North Carolina to Argentina.
What Are the Cosmetic Uses of Slender-beaded Coral Weed?
Slender-beaded Coral Weed is used by the cosmetic industry as an extract in natural beauty products.
It’s prized for its ultra-moisturizing and protective properties due to the high concentration of minerals and trace elements present in its tissue.
Slender-beaded Coral Weed has a concentration of minerals and trace elements that is 20000 to 40000 times greater than that of seawater, giving it remineralizing properties.
It’s also used in skin whitening and hydrating products.
You can check out what this plant looks like over here.
Slender-beaded Coral Weed Characteristics
| Care Level: | Easy |
| Required Lighting: | High |
| Is Palatable? | Not really |
| Maximum Size: | 6 in (15.2 cm) |
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Order: | Corallinales |
| Family: | Corallinaceae |
| Genus: | Jania |
| Scientific Name: | Jania rubens |
| Also Known As: | Slender-beaded Coral Weed |
| Conservation Status: | Unknown |