Species Identification Key: Grape

Photo: Dr. Linda Walters

Caulerpa racemosa
Frond: grape-like (1-5cm tall)
Branchlets: spherical to club shaped, sometimes crowded along central axis (2-4mm in diameter), does not have constriction at base
Stalk: (2-5mm long)

Photo: Dr. Ante Žuljević

Photo: Rachel Woodfield

Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea
Frond: grape-like (up to 10cm tall, but can be found as tall as 20cm)
Branchlets: radially distributed to alternately opposite

Photo: Dr. John Huisman

Caulerpa racemosa var. lamourouxii
Fronds: grape-like to flat (10-15cm tall)
Branchlets: club shaped (2-7mm diameter) to no branchlets
Central Axis: flattened
Stalk: (2-3mm long)

Photo: Dr. Lynn Hodgson

Caulerpa macrophysa
Frond: grape-like (up to 6cm tall)
Branchlets: spherical (3-7mm in diameter), often in clusters

Photo: Susan Zaleski

Caulerpa microphysa
Frond: grape-like (up to 30mm tall)
Branchlets: bead shaped, spherical (1.5-2.3 mm wide), base is constricted

CAULERPA SPECIES IDENTIFICATION KEY

~ Grape ~

Red borders around photographs note species banned in the state of California