[1][2] It is a striking small seaweed, it is dark red but often shows an iridescent blue or green colour.

[3] It is usually found around the edges of rock pools at low tide, but also grows on some of the big seaweeds.

It is found near low-water mark at the edges of shallow pools often growing on (and sheltered by) Carpophyllum maschalocarpum, Xiphophora chondrophylla, and sometimes on Zonaria sinclairii.

The plant seems to prefer shallow pools and channels on roughly horizontal platforms having running water.

[2] The type specimen was found on Long Beach, at Russell, in the Bay of Islands by Vincent Wilhelm Lindauer (AK 143927).