The amateur behind the microscope who wants to study red algae must take some trouble to learn these terms. It pays, because red algae are exquisite plants, often with a complex structure and a life history with phases that are easy to see without all sort of technical problems. Polysiphonia is to be found everywhere along the North Sea coast, on rocks, blocks of concrete, jetties and brown algae. Their colour is due to the red pigment phycobilin, masking the green colour of chlorophyll. This red pigment is very well suited to absorb the green and blue-green light in somewhat deeper sea water, where we find many of the red algae.
Red algae are tough customers.
Fragments of the plants, after surviving a winter or buried under sand can grow again into healthy plants if circumstances become better. Red algae are often attached to stones or other plants. The genus Polysiphonia is easily to recognise with a loupe or with the microscope. The plants have a segmented appearance. In the Netherlands we can find about 10, in the UK more than 20 species.