Mermaid's wine glass
Acetabularia crenulata
Lamouroux
Description:
This plant is formed of small clusters of slender; whitish to pale green stalks surmounted by one or more slightly concave discs of fused rays with a crenulate edge. The rays radiate from the center and minute branched hairs occur on the upper surface of the discs. The stalks grow to 7.5 cm tall, with discs to 2 cm in diameter. Both are lime encrusted. Under normal conditions, the plants are a pale chalky green, but when sheltered from the sun they are less calcified and greener. The plants are anchored to the substrate by lobed rhizoidal holdfasts.
Habitat:
The plants are attached to stones, shell fragments or bits of wood in shallow protected areas of reef, areas of coral rubble or adjacent seagrass beds and mangrove areas. May grow solitary or in groups.
Distribution:
South Florida, Bahamas and Caribbean.
Remarks:
Another species, Acetabularia calyculus , is smaller, up to 4 cm tall and with a disc of 7 mm.