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Fucus spiralis
Distribution: North Atlantic, Ireland and Mediterranean.
Protection Status: indirectly protected under the Habitats Directive.
Plant with about 10 cm high, cartilaginous structure and greenish-brown color, fixed to the substrate by a discoid foot. It presents a dichotomous branching. At the ends of the branches are receptacles which resemble beans and carrying the reproductive organs of the plant. Species common throughout the archipelago, in the intertidal zone. On some islands of the Azores, the receptacles are eaten fresh as a snack.