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PHYCOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

Illustrious Iridaea flaccida now Mazzaella flaccida

Greek myths describe Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, as a messenger for the Olympian deities. The characteristics of the alga Iridaea flaccida strikingly reflect its namesake. The same properties of light which produce a rainbow provide Iridaea's surface with its brilliant iridescence. Vibrant colors wash across the thallus surface due to the multilayered construction of its cuticle. As a reliable messenger, I. flaccida subtly manages to communicate its phase of life history to the casual observer--yet it lives an isomorphic existence. Both its iridescent cuticle and the differences in blade strength between its life phases provide insights into the adaptations of wave-swept algae to mechanical stress.

Isomorphic Iridaea:

A Terrific Triphasic You Can Even Tell Apart

• Division Rhodophyta
• SubClass Floridaeophycidae

• Order Gigartinales
• Family Gigartinacea
• Genus Mazzaella or Iridaea
• Species flaccida
• Life History

Mechanical Properties of Iridaea flaccida:

Stressed Out in 3-D Waves are a Drag

Iridaea, the Incidental Beauty: An Explanation of Iridescence

Concluding Remarks

Please refer to References for further reading on this beautiful alga.

Designed and Written by Elizabeth Nelson April 1996 Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station