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Palmaria mollis
Red Ribbons, Thin Dulse
Collected at Gonzales Bay, Juan de Fuca Strait, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
7 February 2021
Relevant Tides, 7 February 2021 (measured at Oak Bay Tidal Station):
8.9 feet at 04:30 PST
9.8 feet at 09:47 PST
1.6 feet at 18:36 PST
Estimated tide at collection time 2.5 feet
Weather at time of collection: Mix of sun and cloud, no precipitation, wind north northeast (30 km/hour), choppy sea, temperature 7 ˚C, relative humidity 62%.
Phase of Moon: Waning Crescent (approximately 79 hours into this phase at time of collection of the seaweed). Previous Phase, Third Quarter, 4 February 2021 at 9:37am PST; Next Phase, New Moon, 11 February 2021 at 11:05am.
Figure 1: Palmaria mollis, common name Red Ribbons or Thin Dulse – younger brownish red blades shown in the hands of Person 1. Larger blades are two to three times longer and broader than those “in hand” but all narrow down to the short darker, slender, tough and leathery stipes visible at the base of the cluster. Gonzales Bay, Juan de Fuca Strait, Victoria, B.C., Canada. February 8, 2021. Photo ID 27293 ©Seaweedwhisperings.com
In-situ observations & how we came to work with this seaweed:
Inclement weather precluded comfortable in-situ observation and interaction; therefore we worked at home with the whole live seaweed in a basin of ocean water.
Person 2:
Yesterday, this whole plant was found “washed ashore” at Gonzales Beach. It was such a surprise to find this alga in such excellent condition. The recent strong winds, both westerlies and south westerlies, seemed to have dislodged the algae entirely from the substrate; its holdfast and all the stems in this one cluster are entire and hardly ripped or damaged in any way. When I’ve seen this seaweed anchored firmly in place and growing in its habitat I’ve rarely seen one in such beautiful form. Finding such a prime specimen in mid-winter is remarkable.
Truly remarkable, and highly unexpected!
How could this be so? Possibly a “guiding hand” delivered you?
On the beach your beautiful red color attracted my eye, Palmaria mollis – the color and the mass of you, a cluster of broad red ribbons lying on the sand beach, glowing in the light of the setting sun.
I brought this seaweed home hoping it would be appropriate for Person 2 to join me in doing a deeper interaction with you soon – I felt you were already ‘whispering’ to me.
Person 1:
Person 2 arrived home near sunset yesterday with some seaweeds gripped in her nearly frozen fingers. She told me about finding a few truly extraordinary plants washed ashore in the wrack line. She’d been out at the beach photographing seaweeds for almost two hours and by that point and was tired and very cold. She requested that I go to the beach to collect some fresh seawater for our specimens; we wanted to keep them safely in “their own element” and then tomorrow we’d both decide if we would go forward with doing a Whispering.
Later Person 2 told me that she was impressed by how willingly I threw on my coat and boots and went to get the buckets of seawater. She said she felt cared for with my encouragement to go inside to warm up and also that I immediately recognized the value of caring for these seaweeds.
Person 2:
Commencing shortly after collecting this seaweed on the beach and proceeding on through to our more formal observations and interactions, I experienced a distinct change of state. It was notable and unusual. To a friend I wrote “I’ve had a bit of a ‘disorganized’ weekend” and “I think you can hear in what I’ve written that I’ve been a bit all over the place…” I was aware of feeling as if my balance had shifted from the usual, or that I was hosting a new kind of energy and that it was affecting my thoughts, my actions and my emotions. I was very aware of this change and that made it less unsettling than it could have been, however, it still was quite notably uncomfortable. It was a state where no work could be satisfying for long, where no choice felt clearly right or not right; the feeling was that I was lacking clarity on what I might engage in. I felt awash and lacking direction.
Figure 2: Palmaria mollis – our washed ashore ‘volunteer’ algae laid out to show its lovely red blades and the effect of the translucent coloration when multiply layered. Gonzales Bay, Juan de Fuca Strait, Victoria, B.C., Canada. February 8, 2021. Photo ID 27294 ©Seaweedwhisperings.com
Observations & Impressions:
Person 1:
Attractive, free-flowing appearance.
Although thin, the blades are fairly strong; but at the tips they fray easily.
Almost transparent – can easily see through the blade.
Color of a single blade is slightly on the brown side of red. When the blades are stacked and the translucence becomes ineffective, the color shows as a rich, very dark red – perhaps like drying blood.
Branching from the holdfast, the seaweed radiates out beautifully in all directions.
Blades are smooth to the touch, somewhat like the smooth, soft skin of a child.
Blade stipes are tough and strong, smooth and flattened.
The seaweed looks so delicate, possibly in taste as well, so I had the desire to rinse it with fresh water before tasting, so as to experience it purely without the effect of the seawater. I folded up a piece into a thicker chunk to bite into. Tastes very much like a clam; very much so!
Crisp texture, easy to chew and swallow.
Taste lingered for many minutes.
After ten plus minutes, a bitter aftertaste and tingling developed in my tongue.
Smell hard to discern – not really distinct.
Thinking about the name of this seaweed:
“Palmaria” – spreading out like a hand.
“Mollis” – soft, fits well with its feel.
“Red Ribbons” – descriptive of its thin radiating structure.
“Thin Dulse” – simple description of its appearance.
Person 2:
Today your color still charms me - a uniform brownish red.
And your texture – your “leaves” are all thin and smooth, translucent with a soft matte finish.
When blades fold or layer atop each other, many different intensities of your red are seen.
A single stipe, flattened and very tough, quickly (within 1 to 3 cm) widens out into a flattened wedge shaped blade that forks once or sometimes palmately – like fingers of a hand spread open, into wider blades (the biggest on this specimen is 6 cm wide).
The tips of your blades are frequently notched – two broad points of a “V”. Occasionally blades are notched in three. Your longest blade is about 25 cm long.
The way your blades taper into your narrow stems at the base is very graceful. It also allows for a profusion of red blades to arise from a tiny holdfast area: the holdfast measures about 1.8 cm by 1.0 cm and has 14 or 15 stems growing from it. So, from very narrow and leathery stipes you quickly become a “presence” of broad red flags or sails or ribbons wafting in the ocean waters.
A beautiful oasis of “red curtains” I’ve seen you sheltering shrimp and young fish.
Flags or ribbons – they’re used to mark something or to add interest and draw attention, especially where there is motion to them – wind or water action makes them stand out, stand up, draw attention, proudly.
Touching your stipes (base of the blades), the feel is strong, wiry, and indestructible. My fingernail cannot indent this part of the stem.
Touching your widened and thin parts – there is such a smooth and silky feel.
The blades are flaccid, won’t stand without water to hold them up.
They are flat enough and smooth enough to lie tightly against my palm – almost like a second skin.
Yesterday I found out that you will dry out quite quickly when you are exposed to air and wind out of water. So, the smoothness can be lost and then the texture becomes more like construction paper.
Obviously it is good that you live sub-tidally or very low intertidally – I wonder how well you’d rehydrate if exposed on a warm sunny day.
Slippery and smooth – in water it is pleasurable to move my fingers amongst your blades. I’m also aware that “movement” is a key word here – my fingers move through but cannot find anything to grasp. All I can do is slip on through – it is not possible to hold in place.
I chewed a piece of the seaweed. It was surprisingly more cartilaginous in texture than I’d imagined.
Tastes like iodine and a bit like some seafood crustaceans I’ve eaten. Like some of the dried squid from Japan or Japanese snacking crackers named “senbei” that have distinct seafood and nori flavoring.
A strong-ish taste, one I think I could acquire quite a liking to.
Smell is a combination of ammonia and iodine.
You are translucent; I can read my notes through one layer of your blades. I cannot see through you, though; held up to the sky, I cannot see the scene behind you. I tested this again with my notes, and I can only read through the blade if it is very close to the writing.
It is like a light screen or curtain that allows light to filter through while blocking details from view.
I rubbed a wet blade against my cheeks and chin – it is very smooth and glides nicely over, until it dries – then it adheres to my smooth cheek / side of face.
Sound, out of water, rubbing blades together is a rustling like of leaves newly fallen from trees and not yet dried, or of thick plastic. I held a blade from opposite ends and tugged repeatedly; doing this creates a sound like the tapping on the skin of a drum.
I also noticed that the fresh blade is somewhat elastic.
When one blade broke, it did so with a musical “pop” sound.
The look of you, I enjoy the curls and curves of your “ribbons”. They draw me in, I’m attracted. It’s sensual but not overtly sexual. Glide over, caress, but also slip away. No outcome to this touch, no climax.
I’m now feeling my focus slipping, even visually; I’m no longer really looking as I’ve allowed my “self” to move inwards. As I do so, I feel lulled, cradled in a kind of mildly soporific contentment. My eyelids are at half-mast. My shoulders would prefer to slump, my hand to relax its grip on my pencil. I follow on with this urge and let my arms and hands hang down limply at my sides. As soon as I do that I have the urge to rock my torso and my head gently side to side.
Swaying feels good…, lulling.
“Rock-a-bye, baby…” a soothing lullaby, to encourage sleep.
Swaying, rocking, again, movement. Not harsh or even necessarily strong, but movement is “home” or most comfortable to this seaweed energy.
Thinking about your name:
“Palmaria” – “palm” shape to the blades, apt name. I also see the name “Maria”, pal-Maria, and that is fitting, a woman’s name, and it is the Spanish language of a very specific woman in Christianity, the virgin mother of Christ. The concept of immaculate conception somehow is fitting for this seaweed’s energy.
“Mollis” – all I call hear in this species name is a kind of discord; it doesn’t pair well, to my ear, with Palmaria. And in English mollis has a rhyming sound with the verb “to maul”. The violence of that action is very discordant with the energy of this seaweed that I experience.
“Thin Dulse” – I don’t know the living Atlantic Dulse “Palmaria palmata”, but I do know other local Palmaria species and they are thicker and more leathery. So, Thin Dulse is an apt comparative name.
“Red Ribbons” – Red is obviously apt, but the term “ribbons” is one I’ve had a bit of difficulty with since working to positively identify this species. My experience of ribbons is that they are more uniformly narrow and often longer. But the movement of this alga in water does have the flowing grace of Chinese Ribbon Dancers or of ribbons tied to a gymnast’s hair.
I noticed that Person 1 had been finished with writing notes for a while now so I said to him, “I could write more now, but I could share now, too. What would you like to do, Person 1?”
Person 1 answered, “Probably share”.
“OK”, I responded, “let’s share.” “I know that I have more to do; I’m quite aware of that, but I thought maybe it’s time to share” – is that concept big in this seaweed, sharing? We’ll see.
Figure 3: This view of Palmaria mollis shows the bases of the blades, the short stipes, as they connect to their discoid holdfasts. The red blades quickly widen out and provide a large surface area for photosynthesis activity. Red algae (as compared to the green and brown algae) can utilize regions of the low intertidal and even deep subtidal zones that have lower quantities of available sunlight and still be productive. Gonzales Bay, Juan de Fuca Strait, Victoria, B.C., Canada. February 8, 2021. Photo ID 27295 ©Seaweedwhisperings.com
Further Observations & Impressions:
Person 1:
I drew a vertical line down the middle of my notebook page before writing any notes at all – haven’t done this before. Why? Wondering if it’s something to do with the splits, the forks at the ends of the seaweed’s blades.
Likes to be admired, but easily hurt. The ego is fragile. If you dismiss them or don’t outwardly show acknowledgement or recognition then they feel hurt and retreat.
Likes to be touched.
Wants you to be gentle and caring.
Can see through them – they’re an “open book”.
They are vulnerable, others can see their weaknesses.
Radiating in all directions, wants to share and likes to receive encouragement, positive feedback. Criticism is only received if it is constructive and caringly delivered.
Big smooth blades might move underwater in an uncontrolled manner…, lost without a purpose?
Beautiful, but not particularly sexy or sexual. Radiating out could indicate a level of promiscuity, but mainly from an exploratory viewpoint rather than sexual drive.
The blade of this seaweed is thin, so I thought about the connotations of the word “thin”: susceptible, transparent, weak.
The base of this seaweed is strong and tough, thoughts that link to that are:
Comfortable and secure with a home base, and happy to explore but quick to retreat when challenged too much.
Childlike innocence, perhaps more unaware than innocent.
Reaching out in all directions; this could seem like they have no goal, but their way of proceeding is to gather input from as many sources possible. What might end up happening is they don’t get anything done, because they’re always looking for more information prior to making a decision or taking action.
Person 2 noted that the blades have a stretchiness; I wonder if this is the “elastic” that can help them snap back to safety.
Person 2 tugged the blade; the sound emitted was like a flag being relentlessly whipped in the wind.
Person 2:
Gentle movement, I feel like you’d never be still, but also that being still is the only kind of movement, indeed absence of movement, which would be anxiety making or concerning to you.
Flags or ribbons always bending with the waves or current, even your elasticity would allow you to withstand suddenly stronger forces. But, as is clearly the case with the beautiful specimen we’ve been working with, your strongly attached stems and your fluidly flexible blades and your considerable “sail” can in certain circumstances (tide levels and winds) prove to be the qualities that make you vulnerable – you don’t let go, so you were torn entirely away from your home and washed onto the beach to die.
You’re vulnerable in other ways, too.
It seems that the tips of your blades can rip or tear away, or does something nibble on you? If so, why only the tips? The long margins of your blades are very intact.
You move with the water and you “stand” only with the lift of the water’s presence.
Your relationship with the water seems to be a constant interaction – push, OK, I’ll move, pull, OK, I’ll move back. I think you live best where you are having this constant interplay – suggestion and ready response, suggestion and again, ready response. I think this is like a ballroom dancers; one leads and the other follows the lead. Palmaria mollis is the dancer who can follow the seemingly invisible cues given by their partner.
This is more responsive than proactive; it is also like a flag on a pole – with no wind it hangs limply, but when the breeze picks up the flag willingly, almost eagerly, responds.
You are not completely bereft of independent action but it seems that your chosen type of action is very soft and gentle. You would gently rock a babe in your arms. You would quietly enfold a friend with compassion and offer an attentive, listening ear. So, I think, yes, if it can be soft, kind, gentle – you will lead in action with ease, and you’ll be “testing the waters” as you do so. Always checking to see that what you’re offering is what is wanted.
Where you have trouble is when you don’t have enough information, or when response or feedback is confused. If something is aggressive, violent or very confusing and unclear, then you don’t have the confidence to proceed. You might want to “lend a helping hand” but in the face of those circumstances you will back away and retreat.
Are you just learning to have courage?
What makes you feel vulnerability so easily and courage seemingly rarely?
It is your uncertainty, I think, you are so often unsure. To be courageous is to be bold. To be bold you, Palmaria mollis, want to know, with certainty, that your actions would be appropriate. That is not often possible.
What do you know well, and with certainty?
I think it is the intuitive nurturing of a mother with her infant. I think it’s the insightful guidance of a gifted teacher. I think it’s the caring attention of a loving friend. It’s calmly and consistently keeping the “home fires” burning.
You grow in a cluster of stipes and blades, Red Ribbons, and I think you enjoy this kind of “grouping”.
It is a group of equals, more or less. The younger blades are smaller – but the mature ones are all about the same size.
I think you like to cooperate rather than compete. You don’t want sameness, in size or action or interests, but you do like to share amongst your group because this is your favored way to learn.
Competitiveness has that edge to it – if someone is “the best” then someone else likely will feel “less than”. You’re keenly aware of this. You’d rather support the weaker ones until they’re strong and have caught up, rather than leave them alone to pass tests and trials on their own.
Both modes work, it’s just your preference that you, Palmaria mollis, choose the mentoring and supportive and helping way.
Figure 4: On the left our seaweed is laid out for measurement – the longest individual blade was about 25 cm. On the right, our same cluster of Palmaria mollis is seen floating in a basin to simulate a more natural environment and appearance – the name Red Ribbons seems quite apt indeed. Gonzales Bay, Juan de Fuca Strait, Victoria, B.C., Canada. February 8, 2021. Photo ID 27296 ©Seaweedwhisperings.com
Discussion:
Needs confirmation from outside, clues as to how to act.
As we began to synthesize our thinking, Person 2 asked, "What you do you want to do…, how do you want to start our discussion?” Person 1 replied, “I don’t have a particular agenda, what do you want to do?” This is the energy of this seaweed!
This is the “catch-22” that Palmaria mollis can fall into. Looking to others to see what they want before committing to what they themselves will next do! This kind of response can seem polite, but it also lacks will and it can become tiring as things don’t move along very quickly with such behavior.
The responsibility for choosing is passed on to another. Why? There is a very strong preference, even at times a need, for confirmation from the outside, acceptance or agreement from others, to receive clues as to how to act and proceed. So questions are often asked such as, “Is that ok?” or “Is this what you want to do now?” or “Would this be OK with you?”
They want to make sure others will feel good with what they choose to do, not necessarily just observe some rule or follow a known protocol in choosing what they do. They don’t want to offend or upset others, and they are very relieved if others can plainly show how they feel and think. Along with this is their own willingness to let their will be secondary…, or, it seems it can be the case for Palmaria that they haven’t really considered what their will would be. Why is that?
They’re uncertain of their abilities, chiefly how to negotiate new challenges and do so competently. Making mistakes feels embarrassing and it likely will lead to upsets with others and therein lays Palmaria’s true Achilles heel – they don’t handle emotional upsets well. They feel hurt if others hurt.
The day of our interactions, Person 1 noted that he was in a space where no one was directing him to do anything, where he would have to choose what to do, take the initiative himself to get something accomplished. There was no one requesting anything of him, or inviting him out for a walk, or suggesting let’s do such and such. He was left alone to make his own choices and in that felt lost and unable to put attention to any task. The quality of not being able to give full attention to a task was notable to both persons – this was not a state of distractibility but more like a persistent irresolution; like reviewing and considering options, but feeling only unsure and therefore never quite feeling ready to commit.
Disconnect and to be pushed and pulled in different directions, is an aspect of the energy of this seaweed. Disconnected from what’s happening around them; if they ask questions of others, they can then orient themselves and pull out. But if they can’t get help or assistance then they will wallow in interminable indecision. It seems as if they can’t get out of this state very easily on their own. Push and pull – this in a positive setting could mean the Palmaria energy is very useful in a team setting, where there is a strong leader. Palmaria can then simply contribute their considerable willingness and care and skillfulness into the ‘team’ goals.
Like the seaweed itself, or the flag in the wind, without the interaction with water or wind there is not much sign of strength, they’re soft and yielding, designed to respond rather than to initiate. Being proactive is not a trait that is compatible for those purposes; conversely, “going with” seems to be a strong characteristic.
If stuck in the irresolute place Palmaria mollis is reduced to having two main options. One, is to find a way to ask a question and seek input from others, or, two, is to hope that someone notices that you are floundering and therefore offers something – guidance or possibly a suggestion, that resonates and that potentially pulls you out. The sleepy lullaby aspect that came up seems to hint that it can be a ‘danger’ to this energy to be lulled into a kind of sleepy comfort with irresolution and indecision. The concept of a “guiding hand” is welcome.
Boundaries, this concept arose when Person 2 was tugging on the blade of the seaweed and it was elastic – stretched and then snapped right back to original position. But also, when pulled too far, it broke. So it is apparent that there is a distinct limit to safe movement; going further than that, results in harm. Sometimes this would be harm to themselves, other times it could be a misguided action on their part that harms others. Combining this “distinct limit to safe action” and the already explored “indecision” of this energy, and it seems that making mistakes is something Palmaria really seeks to avoid. For them, navigating certain situations feels rather tricky and leads to a nervousness that may lead to unintentional error and poor judgement.
In certain areas there seems to be a lack of experience, and so learning and gaining confidence has yet to happen. This is where Palmaria would love to have a good teacher (or may strive to become a teacher themselves) – to be schooled and to practice and to gain skills feels good. If they are trying to learn on their own, they don’t do as well. If they are in a situation where the ‘teacher’ is critical or exceedingly harsh, this impairs progress. The push / pull reactivity comes into play here, so with Palmaria it is like the saying “you’ll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”. They will respond to sweetness, not at all to harshness. They also like to interact with others this way, kindly and never harshly.
We felt the preferred type of movement for this seaweed was definitely gentle, graceful, fluid and ceaseless. However, conditions do sometimes arise that thrust the blades of this alga into stronger motions. When this happens, the tips of the blades, often notched or forked, are flung out, and one could imagine such movement terminating with a snap! Not so gentle at all. The pretty red ribbon unfurls, somewhat uncontrolled, and could possibly whip out. They become an extension of the force that propels them and this can cause harm. One could see it as an emotional outburst, sudden and quite contrasting to their usual charming and compatible nature.
The torn tips of the blades…, this led us to understand that with this seaweed’s energy emotional wounds are difficult to bear. Somehow it is clear that for Palmaria it is easier to bear physical wounds and pain. If they have somehow ‘hurt’ others, we felt there could be a deep remorse yet that would not be discernable; they do not “wear their heart on their sleeve” when it comes to wounds of the heart. Equally, if they’ve been hurt emotionally themselves, this they take inside and it feels that they trust the healing of those wounds to the gently lulling motion of life – they do their best to resume “keeping on keeping on”.
Palmaria…, palm…, hand…, “lend a helping hand”, to others…, especially within their group.
Related to their gentle demeanor, there is tendency to be genuinely sensitive and helpful. They can work very well as a steady group contributor and genuinely enjoy helping it to thrive. Not all groups suit them, not ones that are elitist or focus on competition, but rather he kind of group that works together for community well-being. Such groups may act as a food bank, or a community garden, or welcoming newcomers to the community or teaching skills to youth. They are content to fit in and do their part in a group that makes a tangible contribution to a wider community.
This seaweed looks translucent, as if you could see right through it…, however that’s not really the case. You can understand them better by their movements, their actions, by what they do, than by how they would reveal their personality in words or conversation. There is that quality to them of being uncertain, and the Palmaria mollis type of individual is reluctant to present themselves openly – so, they’re content and they’d prefer to allow others to take the lead socially. But in what they do for their community, there you can see who they are.
Figure 5: A blade of Palmaria mollis laid over top of notes – the translucence is evident. Gonzales Bay, Juan de Fuca Strait, Victoria, B.C., Canada. February 8, 2021. Photo ID 27297 ©Seaweedwhisperings.com
Biology & Natural History Information:
Description:
Possessing a wedge-shaped blade that is irregularly split into lobes (occasionally lobes are absent), this species usually grows in clumps. This biennial (after overwintering, a surviving base my occasionally produce third year growth) red alga’s color ranges from light yellowish-pink to medium brownish-red. It is not shiny and lacks veins or midribs. The palmate-shaped blades taper to a disc-shaped holdfast and commonly grow to 30cm tall, although in good conditions may reach 45cm. Tips of the blades are often jagged. Blades are somewhat flaccid in texture and occasionally bear bladelets.
Habitat:
Red Ribbons / Thin Dulse grows on rocks in the low intertidal and upper subtidal regions along semi-protected and semi-exposed shorelines.
Distribution:
Bering Sea and Aleutian Is., Alaska, to San Luis Obispo County, California; Russia.
Remarks:
Dulse, Palmaria palmata, a well-known related species in the North Atlantic Ocean, is eaten as a vegetable in the Canadian Maritimes and in Britain. Even sheep put to pasture on British and Norwegian intertidal regions will invariably choose to graze Palmaria palmata. The Pacific Northwest species, Palmaria mollis, is also edible and packed with good nutrients, including vitamins A and C. The blades are commonly dried, ground into a powder, and added to soups and breads for extra nutrients and texture. This seaweed is also eaten fresh in salads and other dishes.
For a long time the absence of female plants of Palmaria in the wild was a lingering mystery in the life history of this seaweed (and closely related species). Van der Meer and Chen (1979), van der Meer and Todd (1980) and van der Meer (1981) discovered that very young plants form female reproductive structures as early as four days after tetraspores had been inoculated into culture. The spermatangial (male) plants take much longer to mature, six to nine months, and therefore fertilization is not possible between sibling plants. In the wild, female plants may thus only be fertilized by the spermatia from a previous season’s plants, representing perhaps an effective mechanism for increasing heterozygosity (reducing inbreeding) in a population.
Classification:
Phylum: Rhodophyta
Class: Florideophyceae
Order: Palmariales
Family: Palmariaceae
Genus: Palmaria
Species: Palmaria mollis (Setchell & N.L.Gardner) van der Meer & C.J.Bird 1985
Previous names: Rhodymenia palmata f. mollis Setchell et Garner; Palmaria palmata f. mollis (Setchell et Gardner) Guiry. Status of Name: this name, Palmaria mollis (Setchell & N.L.Gardner) van der Meer & C.J.Bird 1985, is currently regarded as a synonym of Devaleraea mollis (Setchell & N.L.Gardner) G.W.Saunders, C.J.Jackson & Salomaki.
