Seaweed
Seaweeds are marine algae. They don't have roots but most have holdfasts to grip on to a suitable surface. Out of the water they lie flat and don't look too interesting but under water they stand upright to reach the light they need for photosynthesis, sometimes with the aid of air bladders. Seaweeds growing in rock pools look much more like terrestrial plants.
Coral Weed
This very distinctive weed is fairly common in the rock pools along the shore.
Bladder Wrack
This weed has pairs of bladders along the fronds that help it to stand upright when submerged. Usually found washed up on the strandline.
Egg Wrack
Also known as Knotted Wrack, the bladders occur singly and on very short stalks.
Serrated Wrack
Also known as Toothed Wrack, this very flat seaweed is quite common and has toothed edges.
Spiral Wrack
The fronds sometimes twist giving it the name. The swollen tips are the fruiting bodies.
Gutweed
This bright green weed covers many of the rocks along our coastline and can be very slippery to walk on.