Ectocarpus

Ectocarpus is the type genus of the Ectocarpaceae family, which contains numerous filamentous brown algae. These algae are typically branched and are most commonly found in cold seas. Some scientists consider Ectocarpus to be among the most primitive of living brown algae. The family Ectocarpaceae is cosmopolitan and includes algae that are often epiphytic, meaning they grow on other plants. Their thallus, or body, can consist of erect branching filaments that grow from a creeping filament or layer, or sometimes these filaments can be compacted into a pseudoparenchymatous thallus.12