Warty nostoc
Nostoc verrucosum · Algae
Where it grows · Photo: Deniz Wilson / CC0
Also called Blue green algae, Nostoc, Nostoc verrucosum
May produce toxins
Only a lab test shows whether a bloom is toxic. Keep people, pets and livestock out of discolored or scummy water until it is tested.
How to identify Warty nostoc
- Lumpy, warty, olive to brown jelly masses on rocks
- Often hollow inside
- Firm but gelatinous feel
- Attached in cold, flowing water
Similar species
Mare's eggs are smooth round balls; Rivularia colonies are hard and lime crusted.
Growth profile
| Season | Present year round, most visible in spring and summer. |
|---|---|
| Starts | Cold water |
| Light | Moderate to bright light |
| Depth | Attached to rocks in shallow flowing water |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Fragments carried by water |
| Habitat | Cold, clear streams and springs, attached to rocks. |
Why it matters in a lake
Uncommon and indicates clean, cold flowing water.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Rare
- Oregon: Rare
- Wyoming: Rare
Classification
| Kingdom | Bacteria |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Cyanobacteria |
| Class | Cyanophyceae |
| Order | Nostocales |
| Family | Nostocaceae |
| Scientific name | Nostoc verrucosum |
More colonial cyanobacteria
Gloeotrichia
Star jelly
Mare's eggs
Rivularia
Spirogyra
CladophoraNeed a hand?
Worried about a bloom?
We identify algae under the microscope and test for cyanotoxins, so you know what is in the water and whether it is safe.
Idaho / Wyoming (208) 501-4531Oregon (541) 280-0596