Description: Encrusting thallus growing to at least 5 cms in diameter and irregular in outline. Conceptacles large (1 mm), raised with a low rim.

Habitat: Sublittoral to 46 m deep. Epilithic and on shells.

Distribution: In the British Isles known only from Scotland. Europe: Denmark, Baltic, Norway, the Faroes and Iceland. Greenland. Atlantic coast of North America: Canada to Massachusetts. Further afield: the Pacific from AlaskaMexico and Japan also Antartica.

Similar Species: Leptophyum bornetii which has markedly raised rims to the conceptacles, Leptophytum elatum which has smaller conceptacles without a strongly raised rim.

Key Identification Features:

• Large (1 mm) conceptacles with low rim.

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

iNaturalist: Leptophytum laeve at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Leptophytum laeve at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: . AphiaID: .

Classification: Biota; Plantae; Biliphyta; Rhodophyta; Eurhodophytina; Florideophyceae; Corallinophycidae; Hapalidiales; Mesophyllumaceae; Leptophytum