Kelp
Kelps are large brown algae seaweeds that make up the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera.
Nereocystis
Nereocystis (Greek for "mermaid's bladder") is a monotypic genus of kelp containing the species Nereocystis luetkeana. Some common names include edible kelp, bull kelp, bullwhip kelp, ribbon kelp, bladder wrack, and variations of these names. It forms thick beds on rocks, and is an important part of kelp forests. It can grow to a maximum of . "Nereocystis" has a holdfast of about , and a single stipe, topped with a pneumatocyst containing carbon monoxide, from which sprout the numerous (about 30-64) blades. The blades may be up to long, and up to wide. It is usually annual, sometimes persisting up to 18 months. "Nereocystis" is the only kelp which will drop spore patches, so that the right concentration of spores lands near the parent's holdfast. It is common along the Pacific Coast of North America, from Southern California to the Aleutian Islands, Alaska.