Halopteris scoparia, previously known as Stypocaulon scoparium, is a dark brown algae that forms beautiful fluffy clumps in shallow rocky-bottomed water. Growing only up to 15 centimeters in length, Halopteris scoparia has a main axis with alternate plumed branches which are more or less fan-shaped when flat, though when buoyed up by water they form inverted cone-shaped tufts with a very delicate appearance due to the many filamentous branches. Plants are usually attached to rocks with small to extensive discs often obscured by many matted rhizoids, though these are lacking in free-living plants. These plants are characterized by pure, sheltered waters with high light levels. Halopteris scoparia often forms clumps on cobble in the shallow subtidal zone, though they are just as likely to be found in shallow tidepools or sandy-bottomed areas.

Link for Seaweeds Industry Association

Link for (Pereira, 2010) Handbook Guide

The range of Halopteris scoparia spans from Norway to Cape Verde and the Mediterranean, and also in the Black Sea; it can also be found along the Atlantic provinces of Canada. There have been reports that Halopteris scoparia may be in the waters of Japan as well.