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Service Notice

The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system and census were set to read-only mode on 1 October 2025. Taxonomic updates published since this time are not being reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or Western Australia’s taxonomic names census (Nomos). Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date. Please refer to DBCA’s Threatened species and communities webpage for the most recent Threatened and Priority Flora List, noting that recent taxonomic updates are similarly not included. Our database migration is moving to a staging phase. We thank you for your patience as we ensure the integrity of our biodiversity data, develop new workflows, and train staff to use the new systems. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

The notice period started at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, 1 October 2025 +08:00 and will end at 12:00 pm on Friday, 1 January 2027 +08:00.

Ulva compressa L.

Reference
Sp.Pl. [Linnaeus] 2:1163 (1753)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Scientific Description

Habit and structure. Thallus medium green, 2–20(–40) cm high, erect and basally attached, usually much branched from near the base and often from above, occasionally with few basal branches only; branches broadening above, either remaining terete and 3–10(–20) mm in diameter, or commonly becoming compressed and 0.5–3(–6) cm broad, with the cell layers adjacent but not attached and the margins remaining saccate and in some forms becoming ruffled. Cells un-ordered at least in upper stipe and lower blade, but above with mixture of un-ordered areas and patches where rows of cells have developed by localised divisions; cells polygonal to rounded, 10–14(–16) µm across, square to rectangular when in rows; chloroplast laminate, filling most of the cell in surface view, with a single pyrenoid (two in larger cells prior to division).

Reproduction. Generations isomorphic, gametophytes dioecious, anisogamous.

Distribution. Cosmopolitan.

[After Womersley, Mar. Benthic Fl. Southern Australia I: 158 (1984), as Enteromorpha compressa]

John Huisman & Cheryl Parker, 3 August 2021

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Carnarvon, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain.
IBRA Subregions
Cape Range, Perth, Recherche, Southern Jarrah Forest.
IMCRA Regions
Central West Coast, Leeuwin-Naturaliste.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Albany, Ashburton, Bunbury, Cockburn, Cottesloe, Esperance, Fremantle, Irwin, Perth, Rockingham.