• Kelp, Diatoms, and Allies (Kingdom Chromista)

• Phylum Ochrophyta

• Brown Algae (Class Phaeophyceae)

• Order Ralfsiales

• Family Ralfsiaceae

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Family Ralfsiaceae is a family of brown algae within the class Phaeophyceae, comprising mostly marine species that form thin, crust-like growths on rocks, shells, and other hard substrates in intertidal and shallow subtidal environments. Members of this family are characterized by their firmly attached, often circular or irregularly spreading thalli that closely adhere to the surface on which they grow, giving them a distinctive crustose appearance. These algae are well adapted to environments exposed to fluctuating tides, wave action, and periods of desiccation.

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