2014 Native Seaweed.

On the 7th February, 2014, New Zealand Post issued this set of five value featuring species of native seaweed unique to the waters around New Zealand. Seaweeds are an essential part of the marine ecosystem, providing food, habitats and shelter to a wide variety of marine life. They come in many different shapes and colours as can be seen on the five stamps below.

I really like the simple clear design of these stamps. The plants are clear, well displayed and very detailed which I like. The rest of the design is not cluttered with other stuff, just "New Zealand", the value and the scientific name of the seaweed. Oh not forgetting the quote little fern leaf which appears on all modern New Zealand stamps. 

We saw this same clear open design style in the 2013 Native Ferns issue.

            Rather than trying to describe each species of seaweed in my own words I have taken NZ Post's description from their web site.

70c - Hormosira banksii
Discovered by English naturalist, Sir Joseph Banks, Hormosira banksii is a common sight on New Zealand’s intertidal shores. Its distinctive beads have earned this seaweed many nicknames, including Neptune’s necklace, Neptune’s pearls, sea grapes and bubbleweed. Its beads are filled with gas, allowing them to float to obtain more sunlight.

$1.40 - Landsburgia quercifolia
Landsburgia quercifolia is easily recognisable by its oak-shaped leaves, and is endemic to New Zealand waters. Found mostly around the subtropical Three Kings Islands, this robust seaweed can grow to an impressive 1.5 metres tall, although it grows only in subtidal areas, in deep water.

$1.90 - Caulerpa brownii
Named after its discoverer, British collector Robert Brown, Caulerpa brownii is sometimes called sea rimu due to its resemblance to rimu foliage. This large species is found in mainly tropical and subtropical locations, growing to about 30 centimetres in height.

$2.40 - Marginariella boryana
Marginariella boryana, endemic to New Zealand, is the largest of these five seaweeds, growing to more than two metres in length. Found along one edge of its slender, strap-like branches are narrow, golden reproductive structures, shaped like small cigars.

$2.90 - Pterocladia lucida
Pterocladia lucida is more commonly known as agar weed, named for agar for which it is harvested. This rich, dark red, sometimes iridescent plant grows to somewhere between 30 and 50 centimetres in height, although it can vary greatly in overall width and size.

 Below is the First Day Cover designed for this issue. It follows the same clear format with just some seaweed down in the lower left hand corner. I'm not so happy with the hand-strikes they used for this issue. I suppose that is seaweed displayed in the design but unless you read the text you would be struggling to know that.

 This is the miniature sheet is shown above complete with all five values. I like that little crab beside the seaweed on the left-hand side. A nice extra bit of eye candy.

Below is the miniature sheet on its First Day Cover. I can't say I like seeing miniature sheets on First Day Covers. This one doesn't really look that good, in fact I think it lets the issue down.