Description: Growing in tufts to 30 cms long, much branched usually simply forked or alternate rarely opposite. Somewhat compressed, but not flat.

Habitat: Epilithic in the upper sublittoral.

Distribution: Some records from the south and west of Ireland however generally confined to southern coasts of England between Cornwall and Sussex. Europe: Mediterranean, Portugal, Atlantic coast of Spain. Further afield: Senegal, the Cape Verde Isles, Kenya, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Singapore, Japan, China, Hawaiian Islands, Florida, Mexico, Caribbean, Cuba and Brazil.

Similar Species: Gracilaria gracilis is said to be "elastic". Dried specimens are difficult to distinguish.

Distribution Map from NBN: Gracilaria bursa-pastoris at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Gracilaria bursa-pastoris at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Gracilaria bursa-pastoris at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Gracilaria bursa-pastoris (S.G.Gmelin) P.C.Silva, 1952. AphiaID: 145693.

Classification: Biota; Plantae; Biliphyta; Rhodophyta; Eurhodophytina; Florideophyceae; Rhodymeniophycidae; Gracilariales; Gracilariaceae; Gracilarioideae; Gracilarieae; Gracilaria