Plants have stipes wich have long alternating flat serrated fronds, usually 1-3cm wide (can be much wider, up to 10cm, in sheltered waters. Grows to more than 2m long. It has round vesicles and attaches with a conical holdfast covered with interwoven haptera (adhesive structures). The colour is golden to dark brown and the texture is firm.

Found from the low intertidal to subtidal zones on rock on exposed coasts. Also found in deepwater in sheltered areas.

Uses the sun's energy for photosynthesis.

During reproduction long tubular structures grow with yellow vesicles attached. The genus is endemic to NZ. There are three species, 2 which grow from Cook Strait south and one from the Antipodes and Bounty Islands. This plant gets it name from the teeth on the blades.

CommonSeaweeds: Adams
NZ Seaweeds. An Illustrated Guide: Nelson.