G. pistillata belongs to the genus Gigartina, their thalli are erect, up to 20 cm tall, dark red or brownish red, cartilaginous, elastic, dichotomically branched and attached to the subtrate trough a small disc. Presents an isomorphic trigenetic cycle. Lives on the rocks in the lower horizon of the subtidal level. In Portugal, G. pistillata appears at the upper limit of the infralittoral level and in the lower horizon of the intertidal level. The generation of this specimen is non fortified thalli.

Leonel Pereira “Guia ilustrado das macroalgas” (2009) Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra ISBN: 978-989-26-0002-4