Plants up to 1 m high, robust, main stem thick, cylindrical near base, flattened near top, side brnaches are crowdedwoth tight clusters of smooth, swollen club shaped divisions. The vesicles (floats) are slimy, and globular, the colour is golden brown and the texture is firm and crisp.

It lives on rock, in the intertidal zone and can be uncovered at low tide, it can also be found in pools near low water spring on moderately exposed coasts.

Uses the sun's energy for photosynthesis.

Seaweeds of NZ; Adams