Species of Porphyra are notoriously difficult to separate from each other on structural grounds. The current trend in species taxonomy is to "split" rather than to "lump" taxa, a practice that seems validated on the basis of physiological, cytological (chromosome number) and life history evidence as well as very detailed morphological studies (especially of gamete production). Moreover, the morphological criteria separating the genus into sections (one vs. two cells thick, one vs. two plastids per cell) may not be valid. Species identifications obtained from other than an expert source should be treated with suspicion.

Get a list of scientific names applied to species of Porphyra from the Index Nominum Algarum (University of California, Berkeley)

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