Cartilaginous, cylindrical or compressed, purple-red or blackish fronds, sometimes with greenish or whitish spots, to 100 mm long, irregularly bipinnately branched, branches curved, sharply pointed. Base initially discoid, becoming stoloniferous and entangled. 

Dark-red or blackish, sometimes bleached yellow, cartilaginous, cylindrical, erect or re-curved or prostate, branched thalli, with 7 cm long. Branches are irregular, curved and sharply pointed. On rocks, grows between middle shore and shallow subtidal levels.

Original publication: Hommersand, M.H., Guiry, M.D., Fredericq, S. & Leister, G.L. (1993). New perspectives in the taxonomy of the Gigartinaceae (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta). Proceedings of the International Seaweed Symposium 14: 105-120, 41 figs.

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Raw material for carrageenan-production (Portugal, W Africa), although smal in comparison with other sources (Braune & Guiry, 2011).

Loiseaux-de Goër, S. & Noailles, M.-C. (2008). Algues de Roscoff. pp. [1]-215, col. figs. Roscoff: Editions de la Station Biologique de Roscoff.

Silva, P.C., Basson, P.W. & Moe, R.L. (1996). Catalogue of the benthic marine algae of the Indian Ocean. University of California Publications in Botany 79: 1-1259.

Houck, J. C., Morris, R. K. and Lazaro, E. J., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 1957, 96, 528–530.

Basionym: Ceramium aciculare Roth

Type locality: Adriatic Sea: "In variis submarinis corporibus"

Lectotype: Wulfen’'s (1803: 63) description in the absence of material (epitype) (Dixon & Irvine 1977: 237).