A clonal species, it grows in stands on rocky bottoms in the subtidal zone in areas with high water movement and exposed to wave action.

However, the most important concentrations of the species are found along the rocky coasts of France, Northern Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

The species are harvested either by commercial divers in Portugal and Morocco whereas in Spain and France floating detached thalli and beach coast are gathered.

[2] More recently, the species has started to be used in cosmetics, as a skin care and sunscreen ingredient.

[3][4] It contains metabolites such as carotenoids, peptides, and mycosporine-like amino acids,[5] with antioxidant properties.