Description: Growing as tufts of blades from a discoid holdfast. Fronds up to 50 cms long and membranous, may be simple or deeply devided into wedge-shaped segments without veins. Very variable. Generally delicate, tearing easily. Spores arranged in elongate patches scattered on the frond.

Habitat: Lower littoral into the sublittoral to depths of 24 m or more.

Distribution: Widely distributed around the British Isles including Shetland. Europe: Mediterranean, Azores, Portugal, Atlantic coast of Spain, Norway. Further afield: the Canary Islands and the Black Sea.

Similar Species: Haraldiophyllum bonnemaisonii; Drachielld minuta; Rhodophyllis divaricata.The elongate reproductive patches are very distinctive.

Key Identification Features:

• The elongate reproductive patches are very distinctive.

Distribution Map from NBN: Nitophyllum punctatum at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Nitophyllum punctatum at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Nitophyllum punctatum at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Nitophyllum punctatum (Stackhouse) Greville, 1830. AphiaID: 144770.

Classification: Biota; Plantae; Biliphyta; Rhodophyta; Eurhodophytina; Florideophyceae; Rhodymeniophycidae; Ceramiales; Delesseriaceae; Nitophylloideae; Nitophylleae; Nitophyllum