Coccophora langsdorfii (Turner) Greville

Japanese: スギモク（英語表記）Coccophora langsdorfii (Turner) Greville

This seaweed belongs to the genus Sugimoku of the family Sargassaceae and is endemic to the Sea of Japan. This genus is the only one that consists of this species. It grows on rocks from the low tidal zone to the bathyal zone. The alga reaches a height of 40-60 cm. In the first year, the algae grow from the base to the top of a cylindrical stem, with numerous whorled thread-like twigs 3-5 cm long that branch out several times in a fork shape. In the second year, the algae grow from a single branch that grows from the stem and is surrounded by a spiral of dense, pointed, scaly leaves 2-3 mm long. In spring, several leaves at the top of the branch are transformed and swell into an egg shape at the tip, becoming a hollow reproductive organ with thick walls, and eggs and sperm are formed on the inner walls of the branch.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

褐藻ホンダワラ科のスギモク属に所属する日本海特産の海藻で，スギモク属は本種1種のみからなる。低潮帯から漸深帯の岩上に生育する。藻体は高さ40～60cmに達し，1年目の体は，円柱状の茎の周囲に数回叉（さ）状に分枝する長さ3～5cmの糸状の小枝を基部から上部にかけて多数輪生するが，2年目になると，体は茎より1本の枝を出し，その周囲に先のとがった長さ2～3mmの鱗状の葉をらせん状に密生する。春に，枝の頂端部の数個の葉は変形して先端が卵形にふくれ，壁の厚い中空の生殖器官となり，その内壁部に卵と精子が形成される。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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