This is a list of green seaweeds recorded from the oceans bordering South Africa.
This list comprises locally used common names , scientific names with author citation and recorded ranges . Ranges specified may not be the entire known range for the species, but should include the known range within the waters surrounding the Republic of South Africa .
Map of the Southern African coastline showing some of the landmarks referred to in species range statements Ecoregions of the South African exclusive economic zone List ordering and taxonomy complies where possible with the current usage in Algaebase , and may differ from the cited source, as listed citations are primarily for range or existence of records for the region.
Sub-taxa within any given taxon are arranged alphabetically as a general rule.
Details of each species may be available through the relevant internal links. Synonyms may be listed where useful.
Seaweed macroalgae , refers to thousands of species of macroscopic , multicellular , marine algae . The term includes some types of Rhodophyta Phaeophyta Chlorophyta kelps provide essential nursery habitat for fisheries and other marine species and thus protect food sources; other species, such as planktonic algae, play a vital role in capturing carbon and producing at least 50% of Earth's oxygen.
Natural seaweed ecosystems are sometimes under threat from human activity. For example, mechanical dredging of kelp destroys the resource and dependent fisheries. Other forces also threaten some seaweed ecosystems; for example, a wasting disease in predators of purple urchins has led to an urchin population surge which has destroyed large kelp forest regions off the coast of California.
Humans have a long history of cultivating seaweeds for their uses. In recent years, seaweed farming has become a global agricultural practice, providing food, source material for various chemical uses (such as carrageenan ), cattle feeds and fertilizers. Due to their importance in marine ecologies and for absorbing carbon dioxide, recent attention has been on cultivating seaweeds as a potential climate change mitigation strategy for biosequestration of carbon dioxide , alongside other benefits like nutrient pollution reduction, increased habitat for coastal aquatic species, and reducing local ocean acidification . The IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate recommends "further research attention" as a mitigation tactic. (Full article...
Bryopsis africana [1] [2] Bryopsis eckloniae [3] [2] Bryopsis hypnoides [4] [2] Bryopsis myosuroides [5] [6] Bryopsis plumosa Ulva plumosa Hudson 1778,[7] [2] Pseudobryopsis hainanensis Trichosolen hainanensis (C.K.Tseng) W.R.Taylor 1962,[8] [6]
Caulerpa bartoniae [9] [2] Caulerpa brachypus f. parvifolia [10] [6] Caulerpa cupressoides Fucus cupressoides H.West 1802, Chauvinia cupressoides (M.Vahl) Trevisan 1849,[11] [6] Strap caulerpa Caulerpa filiformis Amphibolis filiformis Suhr 1834, Himandactylius filiformis (Suhr) Trevisan 1849,[12] [2] [6]
Feathery caulerpa Caulerpa holmesiana [13] [2]
Caulerpa mexicana Caulerpa crassifolia f. mexicana (Sonder ex Kützing) J.Agardh 1873, Caulerpa pinnata f. mexicana (Sonder ex Kützing) Weber-van Bosse 1898,[14] [6] Caulerpa nummularia Caulerpa peltata var. nummularia (Harvey ex J.Agardh) Weber-van Bosse 1898, Caulerpa racemosa var. nummularia (Harvey ex J.Agardh) D.Dixit 1926,[15] [6] Caulerpa peltata Ahnfeldtia peltata (J.V.Lamouroux) Trevisan, Chauvinia peltata (J.V.Lamouroux) Kützing 1849, Caulerpa racemosa var. peltata (J.V.Lamouroux) Eubank 1944, Caulerpa laetevirens Montagne 1842, Chauvinia laetevirens (Montagne) Trevisan 1849, Caulerpa racemosa var. laetevirens (Montagne) Weber-van Bosse 1898,[16] C.racemosa var. laetevirens . Port Alfred northwards. As C.racemosa var. peltata , Durban northwards)[6] Caulerpa racemosa lamourouxii (Turner) Weber-van Bosse 1898, Ahnfeldtia lamourouxii (C.Agardh) Trevisan 1849, Fucus lamourouxii Turner 1811, Chauvinia clavifera var. lamourouxii (Turner) Kützing 1849,[17] [6] Caulerpa scalpelliformis intermedia Weber-van Bosse 1898, syn. Caulerpa scalpelliformis f. intermedia (Weber-van Bosse) Svedelius 1906,[18] [6] Caulerpa serrulata hummii (Díaz-Piferrer) Farghaly 1980, syn. Caulerpa hummii Díaz-Piferrer 1969,[19] [6] Caulerpa taxifolia asplenoides (Greville) Weber-van Bosse 1898, syn. Caulerpa asplenioides Greville 1853,[20] [6] Caulerpa webbiana Chauvinia webbiana (Montagne) Kützing 1849,[21] [6] Caulerpa zeyheri Caulerpa racemosa var. zeyheri (Kützing) Weber-van Bosse 1898,[22] [6]
Codium capitatum P.C.Silva 1959,[23] [6] Duthie's upright codium Codium duthieae [24] [2] [6]
Hairy upright codium Codium extricatum [25] [2]
Fragile upright codium Codium fragile fragile (Suringar) Hariot 1889, synCodium fragile (Suringar) Hariot subsp. capense Silva 1959a, Acanthocodium fragile Suringar 1867,[26] [2]
Codium isaacii [27] [2] Lucas' codium Codium lucasii capense Silva 1959a,[28] [2] [6]
Codium megalophysum [29] [6] Codium mozambiquense [30] [6] Codium papenfussii [31] [2] [6] Flat-lobed codium Codium platylobium [32] [2] [6]
Codium prostratum [33] [6] Stephens' codium Codium stephensiae [34] [2]
Derbesia hollenbergii [35] [2] Derbesia marina Lyngbye ) Solier 1846, syn. Vaucheria marina Lyngbye 1819,[36] [2]
Halimeda cuneata [37] [6] Halimeda gracilis [38] [6] Halimeda tuna Halimeda tuna var. typica , Corallina tuna J.Ellis & Solander 1768,[39] [6]
Chlorodesmis [2] Chlorodesmis hildebrandtii [40] [6] Pseudocodium devriesii [41] [6] Pseudocodium floridanum [42] [6] Udotea orientalis Rhipidosiphon orientalis (A.Gepp & E.Gepp) Farghaly 1980,[43] [6]
Family: Chroolepidaceae
Sporocladopsis novae-zelandiae [2] [44]
Bornetella nitida [45] [6] Dasycladus ramosus [46] [6] Neomeris vanbosseae [47] [6]
Order Siphonocladales
Chamaedoris auriculata [48] [6] Chamaedoris delphinii Siphonocladus delphinii Hariot 1902,[49] [6] Dictyosphaeria cavernosa Ulva cavernosa Forsskål 1775,[50] [6] Dictyosphaeria versluysii [51] [6]
Boodlea composita Conferva composita Harvey 1834, Cladophora composita (Harvey) Kützing 1849, Aegagropila composita (Harvey) Kützing 1854,[52] [6] Phyllodictyon anastomosans Cladophora anastomosans Harvey 1859, Pterodictyon anastomosans (Harvey) J.E.Gray 1866, Struvea anastomosans (Harvey) Piccone & Grunow ex Piccone 1884,[53] [6]
Valonia macrophysa [54] [6] Valoniopsis pachynema Bryopsis pachynema G.Martens 1866, Valonia pachynema (G.Martens) Weber-van Bosse 1913,[55] [6]
Anadyomene wrightii [56] [6] Microdictyon kraussii [57] [6]
Chaetomorpha antennina Conferva antennina Bory de Saint-Vincent 1804,[58] [6] Chaetomorpha aerea Conferva aerea Dillwyn 1806, Chloronitum aerea (Dillwyn) Gaillon 1828,[59] [2] Chaetomorpha capillaris Rhizoclonium capillare Kützing 1847,[60] [2] Chaetomorpha ligustica Conferva ligustica Kützing 1843, Rhizoclonium lubricum Setchell & Gardner in Gardner 1919,[61] [2] Hair weed Chaetomorpha linum Conferva linum O.F.Müller 1778, Lychaete linum (O.F.Müller) Areschoug 1851,[62] [2]
Robust hair-weed Chaetomorpha robusta Lychaete robusta Areschoug 1851,[63] [2]
Chaetomorpha [2] Cape cladophora Cladophora capensis Conferva capensis C.Agardh 1824,[64] [2]
Turf cladophora Cladophora contexta [65] [2]
Cladophora dalmatica [66] [2] Blue whip cladophora Cladophora flagelliformis Conferva flagelliformis Suhr 1840, Lychaete flagelliformis (Suhr) Areschoug 1851,[67] [2]
Cladophora herpestica Conferva herpestica Montagne 1842, Aegagropila herpestica (Montagne) Kützing 1854, Cladophoropsis herpestica (Montagne) M.A.Howe 1914,[68] Cladophoropsis herpestica , sporadically in South African east coast north of Trafalgar in south KwaZulu-Natal)[6] Cladophora horii [69] [6] Cladophora isaacii [70] [2] Cladophora mirabilis Conferva mirabilis C.Agardh 1820,[71] [2] Cladophora ordinata Willeella ordinata Børgesen 1930,[72] [6] Cladophora prolifera Conferva prolifera Roth 1797, Chloronitum proliferum (Roth) Gallion 1828, Chantransia prolifera (Roth) Chevalier 1836, Cladophora rugulosa G.Martens 1866,[73] [6] Cladophora radiosa Conferva radiosa Suhr 1834,[74] [2] Cladophora sericia Conferva sericea Hudson 1762, Chloronitum sericeum (Hudson) Gallion 1928,[75] [2] Cladophora vagabunda Conferva vagabunda Linnaeus 1753, Ceramium vagabundum (Linnaeus) Roth 1800,[76] [6] Cladophora [2] Rhizoclonium implexum Conferva implexa Dillwyn 1809, Rhizoclonium riparium var. implexum (Dillwyn) Rosenvinge 1893,[77] [2] Rhizoclonium riparium Conferva riparia Roth 1806, Tiresias riparia (Roth) Areschoug 1851,[78] [2]
Ulothrix flacca Conferva flacca Dillwyn 1805, Lyngbya flacca (Dillwyn) Harvey 1849,[80] Cape Peninsula and False Bay )[2] Ulothrix speciosa Ulothrix zonata var. speciosa (Carmichael) Stockmayer, Lyngbya speciosa Carmichael 1833, Hormotrichum speciosum (Carmichael) P.L.Crouan & H.M.Crouan 1852, Urospora speciosa (Carmichael) Leblond ex G.Hamel 1931,[81] Kalk Bay )[2]
Blidingia marginata Enteromorpha marginata J.Agardh 1842, Enteromorpha nana var. marginata (J.Agardh) V.J.Chapman 1956,[82] [2] Blidingia minima Enteromorpha minima Nägeli ex Kützing 1849, Enteromorpha compressa var. minima (Nägeli ex Hauck) Hamel 1931, Enteromorpha nana var. minima (Nägeli ex Hauck) Sjøstedt 1939,[83] [2] Chloropelta caespitosa [84] [2] Enteromorpha atroviridis Ulva atroviridis Levring 1938,[85] [2] Percursaria percursa Zignoa percursa (C.Agardh) Trevisan, Conferva percursa C.Agardh 1817, Enteromorpha percursa (C.Agardh) J.Agardh 1842,[86] [2] Ulva flexuosa Enteromorpha flexuosa (Wulfen) J.Agardh 1883,[87] [2] Ulva intestinalis Conferva intestinalis (Linnaeus) Roth 1797, Tetraspora intestinalis (Linnaeus) Desvaux 1818, Scytosiphon intestinalis (Linnaeus) Lyngbye 1819, Enteromorpha intestinalis (Linnaeus) Nees 1820, Fistularia intestinalis (Linnaeus) Greville 1824, Solenia intestinalis (Linnaeus) C.Agardh 1824, Ilea intestinalis (Linnaeus) Leiblein 1827, Hydrosolen intestinalis (Linnaeus) Martius 1833, Ulva enteromorpha var. intestinalis (Linnaeus) Le Jolis 1863, Ulva bulbosa var. intestinalis (Linnaeus) Hariot 1889, Enteromorpha compressa var. intestinalis (Linnaeus) Hamel 1931,[88] [2] [6] Ulva lactuca Phyllona lactuca (Linnaeus) F.H.Wiggers 1780, Ulva fasciata Delile 1813,[6] [89] [2] Ulva linza Solenia linza (Linnaeus) C.Agardh 1824, Enteronia linza (Linnaeus) Chevallier 1836, Phycoseris linza (Linnaeus) Kützing 1843, Enteromorpha linza (Linnaeus) J.Agardh 1883,[90] [2] Ulva prolifera Ulva enteromorpha f. prolifera (O.F.Müller) Van Heurck, Ulva compressa var. prolifera (O.F.Müller) C.Agardh 1823, Enteromorpha compressa var. prolifera (O.F.Müller) Greville 1830, Enteromorpha prolifera (O.F.Müller) J.Agardh 1883,[91] [2] Ulva rhacodes Enteromorpha rhacodes Holmes 1894,[92] [2] Rigid sea lettuce Ulva rigida Phycoseris rigida (C.Agardh) Kützing 1843, Ulva lactuca var. rigida (C.Agardh) Le Jolis 1863,[93] [2] [6]
Ulva uncialis Phycoseris uncialis Kützing 1849, Ulva capensis Areschoug 1851,[94] [2]
Algoa Bay , Eastern Cape , 33°55′S 25°42′E Aliwal shoal , KwaZulu-Natal , 30°15′30″S 30°49′30″E Arniston (Waenhuiskrans), Western Cape , 34°40′S 20°14′E Betty's Bay , Western Cape, 34°22′S 18°56′E Bhanga Neck , KwaZulu-Natal, 27°01′00″S 32°50′00″E Bird Island , Eastern Cape, 33°50′28″S 26°17′10″E Blaauwberg , Western Cape, 33°48′S 18°27′E Black Rock, Northern KwaZulu-Natal, 27°08′00″S 32°50′00″E
Brandfontein , Western Cape, 34°46′S 19°52′E Buffelsbaai (Cape Peninsula) , Western Cape, 34°19′10″S 18°27′41″E Buffelsbaai (west coast) , Western Cape, 33°35′S 18°21′E Buffelsbaai (south coast) , Western Cape, 34°05′S 22°58′E Cape Agulhas , Western Cape, 34°50′00″S 20°00′09″E Cape Columbine , Western Cape, 32°49′39″S 17°51′23″E Cape Frio , Namibia, 18°26′12″S 12°00′17″E Cape of Good Hope , Western Cape, 34°21′29″S 018°28′19″E Cape Province , or South Africa)Cape Peninsula , Western Cape 34°12′S 18°24′E Cape Hangklip , Western Cape, 34°23′17″S 018°49′35″E Cape Infanta , Western Cape, 34°25′S 20°51′E Clovelly , False Bay, Western Cape, 34°09′29″S 18°26′11″E Dalebrook , False Bay, Western Cape, 34°07′29″S 18°27′11″E Danger Point , Western Cape, 34°37′55″S 19°17′34″E De Hoop , Western Cape, (just west of Cape Infanta) 32°26′03″S 20°32′52″E De Walle, (Die Walle ), (Just west of Agulhas) °'S °'E
Die Dam (Quoin Point ), Western Cape, 34°46′S 19°41′E Doring Bay (Doringbaai ), Western Cape, 31°49′S 18°14′E
Durban , KwaZulu-Natal, 29°51′S 31°01′E Dwesa , Eastern Cape, 32°15′36″S 28°53′42″E East London , Eastern Cape, 32°59′S 027°52′E False Bay , Western Cape, 34°14′S 18°39′E Glencairn , False Bay, Western Cape, 34°09′50″S 18°26′00″E Groenrivier (Groen River ), 30°50′55″S 17°34′20″E
Groot Bergrivier estuary (Berg River , Velddrif ), Western Cape, 32°47′S 18°10′E
Haga Haga , Eastern Cape (N of E.London) 32°46′S 28°15′E The Haven, Eastern Cape, 150 km west of Port St. Johns , 32°14′50″S 28°55′15″E
Hermanus , Western Cape, 34°25′S 19°14′E Hluleka , Eastern Cape, 31°49′S 29°18′E Hondeklipbaai , Northern Cape, 30°19′S 17°16′E Hout Bay , Cape Peninsula, Western Cape, 34°03′30″S 18°21′20″E Isipingo , KwaZulu-Natal, 29°59′50″S 30°57′20″E Island Rock , KwaZulu-Natal, 27°17′00″S 32°46′00″E Kalk Bay , False Bay, Western Cape, 34°07′40″S 18°27′00″E Kei River , Eastern Cape, 32°40′35″S 28°23′10″E Kenton-on-Sea , Eastern Cape, 33°42′S 26°41′E Keurboomstrand , Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, 34°02′17″S 23°23′31″E Knysna , Western Cape, 34°05′02″S 23°03′37″E Kommetjie , Western Cape, 34°08′S 18°19′E Koppie Alleen, De Hoop , Western Cape, °'S °'E
Kosi Bay , Kwa-Zulu-Natal, 26°54′06″S 32°51′59″E Kowie River , Eastern Cape, 33°36′15″S 26°54′12″E Kraalbaai , Langebaan lagoon, Western Cape, 33°08′30″S 18°01′45″E Lala Nek , KwaZulu-Natal, 27°13′00″S 32°48′00″E Lamberts Bay , Western Cape, 32°05′24″S 18°18′10″E Leadsman shoal, KwaZulu-Natal, 28°23′00″S 32°25′15″E
Langebaan Lagoon, Western Cape, 33°09′S 18°04′E Llandudno , Cape Peninsula, Western Cape, 34°00′30″S 18°20′20″E Lüderitz , Namibia, 26°38′53″S 15°9′34″E Mabibi , Kwa-Zulu-Natal, 29°20′10″S 32°45′10″E Mapelane , Maphelana , KwaZulu-Natal, near St. Lucia, 28°24′28″S 32°25′44″E Melkbosstrand , Western Cape, 33°43′38″S 18°26′06″E Mission Rocks , KwaZulu-Natal, 28°16′23″S 32°29′55″E Mkambati , KwaZulu-Natal, 31°17′S 29°57′E [ dubious – discuss ] Morgan's Bay , Eastern Cape, (Near Kei mouth) 32°42′0″S 28°21′0″E Möwe Bay , Namibia, 19°22′47.85″S 12°42′29.02″E Mtwalume river , KwaZulu-Natal, °'S °'ENoordhoek , Cape Peninsula, Western Cape, 34°07′S 18°21′E Muizenberg , False Bay, Western Cape, 34°07′S 018°28′E Oatlands Point , False Bay, Western Cape, 34°12′30″S 18°27′44″E Oudekraal , Cape Peninsula, Western Cape, 33°59′09″S 18°20′55″E Olifantsbos , Cape Peninsula, Western Cape, 34°16′23″S 18°22′45″E Palm Beach, South Africa , 30°59′S 30°16′E Park Rynie , KwaZulu-Natal, 30°19′S 30°44′E Paternoster , Western Cape, 32°49′S 17°53′E Papenkuilsfontein , Western Cape, 10 km west of Agulhas °'S °'EPearly Beach , Western Cape, 34°39′S 19°29′E Platbank , Cape Peninsula, Western Cape, 34°20′5″S 18°29′09″E Platboombaai , 34°20′20″S 18°27′08″E Plettenberg Bay , Western Cape, 34°03′S 023°22′E Ponta do Ouro , Mozambique border, 26°50′36″S 32°53′48″E Port Alfred , Eastern Cape, 33°36′15″S 26°54′12″E Port Edward , KwaZulu-Natal 31°03′S 30°13′E Port Elizabeth , Eastern Cape, 33°58′S 25°35′E Port Nolloth , Northern Cape, 22°15′S 16°52′E Port St. Johns , KwaZulu-Natal, 31°37′40″S 29°33′20″E Postberg , Western Cape, 33°07′S 18°00′E Protea Banks , KwaZulu-Natal, 30°50′S 30°28′E Rabbit Rock , KwaZulu-Natal, °'S °'ERobberg , Western Cape, 34°06′30″S 23°24′45″E Rocky Point , Namibia, °'S °'ESaldanha Bay , Western Cape,33°01′S 17°59′E Saxon Reef , KwaZulu-Natal, (near Mozambique border), °'S °'EScarborough , Cape Peninsula, Western Cape, 34°12′00″S 18°22′13″E Scottburgh , KwaZulu-Natal, 30°17′S 30°45′E Sea Point , Cape Peninsula, Western Cape, 33°55′19″S 18°22′37″E Shelly Beach, KwaZulu-Natal , KwaZulu-Natal, 30°48′S 30°25′E Simon's Town , Western Cape, 34°11′S 18°26′E Smitswinkel Bay , False Bay, Western Cape, 34°16′S 18°28′E Sodwana Bay , KwaZulu-Natal, 27°32′S 32°41′E Soetwater , °'S °'EStilbaai (Still Bay), Western Cape, 34°22′S 21°25′E St Helena Bay , Western Cape, 32°43′S 18°06′E St. James , False Bay, Western Cape, 34°07′29″S 18°27′11″E St Lucia , KwaZulu-Natal, 28°23′03″S 32°25′46″E Strand , Western Cape, 34°07′S 18°49′E Strandfontein , False Bay, Western Cape, 34°05′22″S 18°33′18″E Strandfontein , Western Cape, 31°45′20″S 18°13′38″E Swakopmund , Namibia, 22°41′S 14°32′E Swartklip , False Bay, Western Cape, 34°04′30″S 18°41′10″E Swartkops River , 33°51′56″S 25°37′58″E Table Bay , Western Cape, 33°53′S 18°27′E Three Anchor Bay , Cape Peninsula, Western Cape, 33°54′22″S 19°23′51″E Three Sisters (Eastern Cape) , Riet River, 10 km west of Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, °'S °'ETrafalgar , KwaZulu-Natal, 30°58′S 30°18′E Tsitsikamma , Eastern Cape, 34°01′18″S 22°53′44″E Umhlali , KwaZulu-Natal, (mHlali river mouth) 29°27′45″S 31°16′45″E Umpangazi , KwaZulu-Natal, (Cape Vidal?) 28°07′45″S 32°33′50″E Uvongo , KwaZulu-Natal, 30°49′S 30°23′E Waterloo Bay , Eastern Cape, 33°29′S 27°10′E Yzerfontein , Western Cape, 33°20′S 18°10′E
Stegenga, H., Bolton, J.J., & Anderson, R.J. 1997. Seaweeds of the South African West Coast . Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium, University of Cape Town. ISBN 0-7992-1793-X Coppejans, E., Leliaert, F and Verbruggen, H. in De Clerck, O., Bolton, J.J., Anderson, R. J. & Coppejans, E. 2005. Guide to the Seaweeds of KwazZulu-Natal . Scripta Botanica Belgica Volume 33. Joint publication of: National Botanical gardens of Belgium, VLIZ Flanders Marine Institute and Flemish Community. ISBN 90-72619-64-1 
