Appearance: Dark greenish brown, in dense tufts. The fronds have no midrib or bladders. The edges are curled inwards.
Depth: Upper shore.
Feeding: Channelled wrack is a producer. It makes its own food by photosynthesis. It has chlorophyll just like most land plants. Its colour is due to extra pigments which allow it to absorb light efficiently while under water.
Environment: Channelled wrack grows on rocks high up on the shore often above the high water level on neap tides.
Other facts: These algae must survive out of water for many hours. The fronds curl to reduces water loss. They take in water rapidly when the tide returns.
Classification: Channelled wrack is a member of the protoctista group, the brown algae.