genus of brown algae, common on rocky seacoasts and in salt marshes of northern temperate regions. Adaptations to its environment include bladderlike floats (pneumatocysts), disk-shaped holdfasts for clinging to rocks, and mucilage-covered blades that resist desiccation and temperature changes. The plant is between about 2 and 50 cm (0.8 to 20 inches) in length; growth of the thallus is localized at the tips of forked shoots. The male and female reproductive organs may occur on the same or separate organisms; some species produce eggs and sperm all year long. Fucus is a perennial alga with a lifespan of up to four years. Fucus species, along with kelp (q.v.), are an important source of alginates—colloidal extracts with many industrial uses similar to those of agar.