One of the larger red seaweeds, Dilsea carnosa plants are tough and leathery. Several dark reddish brown, flat, blades gradually expand from a single disc shaped holdfast, and have short cylindrical stipes. The blades do not have a midrib or veins and are simple wedge or spoon shaped. The blades can be 15-30 cm long and 5-20 cm wide. Older blades may be split from the margin towards the base but the rounded oblong (obovate) shape of the blade is never quite lost.Sometimes confused with Palmaria palmata and mistakenly called dulse.