G. pistillata is the type species of the genus Gigartina and their thalli are erect, up to 20 cm tall, dark-red or red-brown, cartilaginous, elastic, dichotomously branched, attached to the substrate through a small disk.

Link for Algae Handbook (Pereira, 2010).

Adjective (Latin), pistillate

Gigartina pistillata (female gametophyte) produce a hybrid carrageenan 48.7 kappa, 44.5 iota (%mol). Gigartina pistillata (tetrasporophyte) produce a hybrid carrageenan xi-lambda (Pereira & van de Velde, 2011).

Dixon, P.S. & Irvine, L.M. (1977). Seaweeds of the British Isles. Volume 1. Rhodophyta. Part 1. Introduction, Nemaliales, Gigartinales. pp. xi + 252, 90 figs. London: British Museum (Natural History).

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.

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

Papenfuss, G.F. (1964). Catalogue and bibliography of Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic benthic marine algae. In: Bibliography of the Antarctic Seas. (Lee, M.O. Eds) Vol.1, pp. 1-76. Washington D.C.: American Geophysical Union.

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.

Basionym: Fucus pistillatus S.G.Gmelin

Type locality: Doubtful; sent by Sandifort from the Netherlands (The Hague) (Dixon & Irvine 1977: 239).

Lectotype: original illustration in the absence of material (S.G. Gmelin, 1768, pl. xviii, fig. 1) (epitype) (Dixon & Irvine 1977: 239).

Notes: Only known from drift plants (Stegenga et al. 1997).