Norrissia setchellii

Dainty Iodine Weed

27 May 2025

Tonquin Beach, Templar Channel, Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada.

Tide: - 0.3 foot low at 07:42am PDT (measured at Tofino Tidal Station)

Weather: Cloudy, wind E 10 km/hour, sea light chop, low westerly swell, humidity 95%, 11 ˚C.

Moon: Waxing Crescent (0.7%, 1 day); Next phase, First Quarter, 2 June 2025 at 8:40pm PDT; Previous phase, New Moon, 26 May 2025 at 8:02pm PDT.

Figure 1: Lovely rose-red narrow straps of algae twist and turn and sport small side proliferations. A low tide and certain habitat conditions are essential to catch a glimpse of Norrissia setchellii. Tonquin Beach, Templar Channel, Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada. July 21, 2024. Photo ID 27814 ©Seaweedwhisperings.com

Person 1:

Wispy.

Whimsical.

Light-hearted, light-minded.

Naïvely carefree.

Easily manipulated.

When faced with life’s challenges, becomes scared and anxious. Potentially loses all its beauty and lightness.

Not really in touch with reality.

Likes to pretend it is part of the ‘tough’ gang... living in sand-scoured and surf-swept habitat. But it’s actually safely tucked around a corner or under an overhang.

Flirty airhead.

Figure 2: A view earlier in the spring shows Norrissia setchellii in its realm. Sea stars and anemones are finding shelter under this rock overhang, too. At the very bottom of this photo you can see the substrate that abuts this rock wall, a sandy beach – this seems to be a combination that Dainty Iodine Weed enjoys. Tonquin Beach, Templar Channel, Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada. May 9, 2024. Photo ID 27815 ©Seaweedwhisperings.com

Person 2:

We found you again, growing here at Tonquin Beach in mid-spring.

Small, diminutive, narrow ribbons of deep red hanging from a deeply shaded undercut in a rock wall.

This particular rock wall abuts a sand beach and the strongly moving waters of Templar Channel.

You have lovely rich rose-red or burgundy-red tones... then something happens, and you become bleached of your red pigments and left a sadly washed out beige brown color.

Do you like shaded areas because that is best for the light levels your photosynthetic pigments are designed for? It does seem that strong light can be too much for you.

When we looked very closely at the blades, we found small side proliferations, too. These are easily missed if you are only observed from afar.

Sometimes we have observed that your narrow blades don’t stay flat but engage in some twisting (this likely is what occurs later in the season, July rather than May, when your blades are longer).

This twisty-turny aspect combined with your little side “flings” gives you a very light and airy character.

The word “fling” came right to mind when I wanted to talk about the side proliferations of this seaweed; I think this is worth exploring.

Did I choose this word because their direction flings out at right angles to the blade? Possibly you have things to cast off and you do so whenever you feel you must and with considerable force or passion behind it?

Or did I choose it because you like to seek a “good time”? Flirting, partying, dancing... trying out various ways to find enjoyment and even partake of some ‘wild behavior’.

Figure 3: A closer view seen in late July shows the more mature central straps of Norrissia setchellii with their side proliferations. The look is light, airy and whimsical. Tonquin Beach, Templar Channel, Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada. July 21, 2024. Photo ID 27816 ©Seaweedwhisperings.com

Discussion:

Person 2: There’s no common name..., I’d like to find a common name that fits this seaweed. Person 1:

I have word – wispy. OK..., let’s start there. We looked that up..., didn’t quite feel wispy was correct but looking and definitions and synonyms we found “dainty” which means delicately small and pretty. We agreed that dainty is a good one-word descriptor.

Another detail we checked was the word fling – we realized there was an overlap with the idea of having a good time, dancing, partying, etcetera and that one type of dance we know of is actually called the Highland Fling.

At first we felt that what we knew about this dance compared to this seaweed’s energy were really not very similar at all. Then we did a bit of reading. The “athleticism”, and particularly the “precision”, of Highland dancing doesn’t seem to fit Norrissia so strongly but the “light, springing” quality does, and so does one other aspect. Apparently one goal of Highland Fling dancers is to stay in the same spot throughout the dance. This is an excellent overall match to Norrissia’s energy, because while they partake of their ‘flings’ in varied directions and with changing activities, they tend to not really go forward with any one of them. They’re not ready to move onwards in a clear direction – and so they do stay where they are, rooted in their undecided place.

Fling can mean to hurl forcefully; in this seaweed hurling forcefully does not seem to happen with its physicality – it is too dainty to have much brutish power. It does however appear that they can be involved in some emotional drama, temper tantrums, crying fits, and other episodes where whatever they are feeling needs to find immediate release. Emotional reactivity can be strong in Norrissia, and possibly the hurling of such energy is what creates the twists we see in their older forms – the strap like central blade cannot remain flat on one plane as these events occur. Over time the twists accumulate.

Strong light is too much for you; you want to stay carefree and whimsical. The descriptor of wispy means fine or feathery, something that doesn’t have much substance to it. This is a delicate and vulnerable kind of state, but it is also one that maybe can slip away, ease out of things without too much fuss like smoke dissipating on a breeze. We also had the word ‘fling’ for this seaweed. A fling is typically a short-lived endeavor with fun or pleasure being the motivator. There is no commitment involved in a fling. Having no commitment really suits Norrissia; they are simply not ready for that yet.

This energy we’ve been considering with Norrissia around them being naïve, unrealistic, vulnerable to manipulation, pretending to be tough but ending up in dark corners..., this led us to consider what can go on with human trafficking. Young or too trusting women who are looking for a way out to a better life are easily tricked into placing their future in the hands of criminals. They find themselves in ‘debt’ to these handlers and being plied in the sex trade or other servitude for years. They are lost and trapped; this is nothing close to the new start they imagined they were embarking upon.

These persons are taken advantage of and manipulated, but they also are perhaps too willing to believe the promises of others, especially if the ‘promised’ reality of others agrees with what Norrissia already imagines it to be. Said ‘reality’ can sometimes ultimately mean that they end up on dark street corners…, all their color is bleached as they live out their misdirected life.

Stronger characters don’t only manipulate and take advantage; some serve as helpful guides to Norrissia, too. So a mentor or church leader or even a coach of music or sporting skills – these persons can be of value to them. Manipulation only enters in if Norissia hasn’t actually chosen for themselves whatever it is that the guide / stronger character introduces them to.

The human trafficking situation is an extreme example of the kind of thing that can happen for Norrissia. Other times they may simply fall into trying out things, partying, drugs, adrenaline sports, or other social trends and then find that it is not for them. They come away with a tarnished view of something they thought would be a “good time”.

There can be difficulty in deciding what is right for them, and this is why they can sometimes link up with stronger characters that seem to already be sure about their choices. They lean on the confidence of others, go with the momentum and force those others are creating, and this can be hard to turn away from sometimes. Swimming against the current is difficult. This uncertainty about what they truly want for themselves leads to explorations, flings, dipping into, trying out and discovering what’s what. Like the seaweed’s own side proliferations, they don’t stick with anything; they change it up often and can move to new or strikingly different directions.

There can be no central passion or clear direction they’re heading in. It’s way too soon to choose, and also perhaps simply there is the knowing in this seaweed that says it can be a lot of fun to experiment and try out and to be not yet committed. They’re happy to be undecided.

Sometimes they learn the cost if they feel they have committed to something too soon or only tenuously and that has caused them or others some pain to undo. So in them there’s an aversion to that almost like opposite magnetic poles getting too close to each other – a hesitation, even a repulsion pushing them away from commitment. Being at the stage of still wanting to experiment and try out and discover commitment is totally the correct thing to avoid.

“Strong light” for Norrissia can require them to step out of the whimsical and consider some aspects to reality that can seem rather harsh. What can really challenge them is if they do try to commit to something, and then any fear they retain about having chosen the correct thing can really put them off balance.

Norrissia knows in their heart it is best for them to keep things “light and easy”. The best circumstances for them are ones where they are free to change their mind whenever they so choose. New options, changing up their interests, or following a route they’ve only just discovered is very much what they love to do. They are fulfilled by trying things out – it teaches them much. Sometimes that way of being is costly, especially if they’ve made a poor choice, but many times it is fun, rewarding and very much the place they want to occupy.

Figure 4: Photographed next to human fingers, the dainty size of this seaweed is obvious. Tonquin Beach, Templar Channel, Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada. May 9, 2024. Photo ID 27817 ©Seaweedwhisperings.com

Biology & Natural History Information:

Description:

Rich rose-red in color, thalli are 5 – 10 cm high (occasionally up to 15 cm), flattened strap-shaped, up to 1 cm wide and are soft and non-cartilaginous in texture. The blades have short or non-evident stipes. Stipe and basal part of frond cylindrical to compressed. Blades are narrow lanceolate, 3 – 6 mm wide, with marginal and surface proliferations 1 – 2 cm long and 1 – 2 mm wide. Bladelets simple or with secondary marginal proliferations.

Habitat:

On rock, often adjacent to sand, low intertidal.

North Pacific Distribution:

As Norrissia setchellii (Kylin) Blakrishnan: North America; British Columbia, Oregon, California, and Mexico. As Grateloupia setchellii: North America; British Columbia, Oregon, Washington, California.

Remarks:

It was interesting to learn the identity of this seaweed. When we first found it we knew it was something distinctive and new. It was also not in any of our numerous field guides. After thinking about its physical morphology we felt it was a cross between some kind of Prionitis species (because of the central flat axes with small proliferations and that it bleaches pale brown) and possibly some kind of Cumagloia due to the side proliferations. Browsing some i-naturalist photos we found images of red algae called Grateloupia californica. Grateloupia is a genus closely related to Prionitis – so we felt we were on the right track. Then back at our print library we dug into some phycology texts published about Californian seaweeds. In Marine Algae of the Monterey Peninsula there were very good botanical drawings of Grateloupia californica and Grateloupia setchellii as well as full botanical descriptions. This led to the conclusion that our seaweed was Grateloupia setchellii, but as soon as that name was checked on AlgaeBase we learned that a study of the Cryptonemiales done at Friday Harbour Labs (very near to our location) had reassigned G. setchellii to a new genus and it was given the name Norrissia setchellii. Handily a photograph was also available on AlgaeBase that is strikingly like our own observed individuals and it was taken only about 130 kilometers down the coastline from the location of our first observation of this seaweed.

Classification:

Empire: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Plantae

Subkingdom: Biliphyta

Infrakingdom: Rhodaria

Phylum: Rhodophyta

Subphylum: Eurhodophytina

Class: Florideophyceae

Subclass: Rhodymeniophycidae

Order: Halymeniales

Family: Halymeniaceae

Genus: Norrissia

Species: Norrissia setchellii (Kylin) Balakrishnan 1980

Former name(s):

Grateloupia setchellii Kylin 1941.

Figure 5: On another year but in similar habitat, we again find Norrissia “hanging out” with some crustose algae, sea stars and anemones. Tonquin Beach, Templar Channel, Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada. May 27, 2025. Photo ID 27818 ©Seaweedwhisperings.com