Seaweed Flora of the European North Atlantic and Mediterranean 6.3 Seaweeds Biodiversity and Potential 81
Part A | 6.3
antibacterial [6.201, 296–300], antioxidant [6.300–
302], antileishmanial [6.303] activity.
Ulvaria obscura (Kutzing) Gayral
Synonym. Monostroma
obscurum
(Kützing)
J. Agardh
Description. Thallus widely bladed, similar to that of
Ulva, turning brown on dying; monostromatic blade;
occurring not often; bipolar species [6.304].
Habitat. In sublittoral, at 317 m depth.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (Iceland and Norway to
Portugal); Atlantic Islands; NW Atlantic (Alaska and
Greenland to Washington); SW Atlantic (Argentina).
Uses and Compounds. Ulvaria obscura produces
a dopamine that functions as antiherbivore defense [6.305, 306], and flavonoids with protective effect
action against free radicals, protecting collagen surrounding of blood vessels. This species have antioxidant [6.307] activity.
Order: Ulotrichales
Gayralia oxysperma (Kützing) K.L. Vinogradova
Synonym. Monostroma oxyspermum (Kützing) Doty
Description. Thalli forming leafy monostromatic
blades from a few centimeter to a meter or more in
length. Cells in the upper portion of blade polygonal
and isodiametric, becoming more elongate toward base
with long rhizoidal projections in holdfast region. In
surface view, cells in groups of two or four; cells uninucleate with parietal chloroplast and single prominent
pyrenoid traversed by thylakoids [6.32, 308].
Habitat. On rocks, boulders or on other seaweeds,
older free floating; common through the entire littoral to
sublittoral boundary, preferably in sheltered sites; tolerant to changing salinity.
Distribution. European coastlines (Atlantic, North
Sea and Baltic); Atlantic coasts of North, Central
and South America; Caribbean; East Pacific coastlines
(Alaska to California), Japan, Mauritius, S Australia.
Uses and Compounds. Consumed as green vegetable
(SE Asia, China) and used for animal feed [6.32, 109].
Have antiviral activity [6.309].
6.3.3 Domain/Empire Eukaryota,
Kingdom Plantae,
Phylum Rhodophyta
(Red Algae)
Class: Bangiophyceae
Order: Bangiales
Bangia fuscopurpurea (Dillwyn) Lyngbye
Description. Gelatinous, unbranched, blackish-purple
filaments, at first uniseriate later multiseriate, attached by rhizoidal outgrowths from basal and adjacent
cells; cells with central star-shaped rhodoplast with
pyrenoid [6.310].
Habitat. On rocks, wood, etc., as fleecy mat, especially at high tide level on exposed coasts in autumn
and winter, disappearing in spring or early summer, at
other times present as sparse filaments.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (Iceland to Senegal)); W
Atlantic (Brazil and Argentina); Caribbean; W Pacific
(Japan, China); NE Pacific (California, Mexico); IndoPacific/Indian Ocean; Australia.
Uses and Compounds. Consumed as vegetable [6.310]. Have antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral,
cytotoxic [6.205, 311] activity.
Porphyra leucosticta Thuret
Synonym. Pyropia leucosticta (Thuret) Neefus &
J. Brodie
Description. Delicate membranous monostromatic
reddish-brown fronds, becoming pink on drying, to
150 mm long, with very short stipe from basal holdfast [6.1, 2, 312].
Habitat. Usually epiphytic on larger algae, littoral
to shallow sublittoral, spring to autumn, widely distributed, common.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (Norway to Portugal);
Mediterranean; NW Atlantic (Canada and USA); SW
Atlantic (Brazil); SE Atlantic (Angola).
Uses and Compounds. Produces high percentage of
vitamin C and natural carotenoids, and therefore P.
leucosticta could become a valuable source of raw
material to obtain such compounds, which have mul-
Part A | 6.3
antibacterial [6.201, 296–300], antioxidant [6.300–
302], antileishmanial [6.303] activity.
Ulvaria obscura (Kutzing) Gayral
Synonym. Monostroma
obscurum
(Kützing)
J. Agardh
Description. Thallus widely bladed, similar to that of
Ulva, turning brown on dying; monostromatic blade;
occurring not often; bipolar species [6.304].
Habitat. In sublittoral, at 317 m depth.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (Iceland and Norway to
Portugal); Atlantic Islands; NW Atlantic (Alaska and
Greenland to Washington); SW Atlantic (Argentina).
Uses and Compounds. Ulvaria obscura produces
a dopamine that functions as antiherbivore defense [6.305, 306], and flavonoids with protective effect
action against free radicals, protecting collagen surrounding of blood vessels. This species have antioxidant [6.307] activity.
Order: Ulotrichales
Gayralia oxysperma (Kützing) K.L. Vinogradova
Synonym. Monostroma oxyspermum (Kützing) Doty
Description. Thalli forming leafy monostromatic
blades from a few centimeter to a meter or more in
length. Cells in the upper portion of blade polygonal
and isodiametric, becoming more elongate toward base
with long rhizoidal projections in holdfast region. In
surface view, cells in groups of two or four; cells uninucleate with parietal chloroplast and single prominent
pyrenoid traversed by thylakoids [6.32, 308].
Habitat. On rocks, boulders or on other seaweeds,
older free floating; common through the entire littoral to
sublittoral boundary, preferably in sheltered sites; tolerant to changing salinity.
Distribution. European coastlines (Atlantic, North
Sea and Baltic); Atlantic coasts of North, Central
and South America; Caribbean; East Pacific coastlines
(Alaska to California), Japan, Mauritius, S Australia.
Uses and Compounds. Consumed as green vegetable
(SE Asia, China) and used for animal feed [6.32, 109].
Have antiviral activity [6.309].
6.3.3 Domain/Empire Eukaryota,
Kingdom Plantae,
Phylum Rhodophyta
(Red Algae)
Class: Bangiophyceae
Order: Bangiales
Bangia fuscopurpurea (Dillwyn) Lyngbye
Description. Gelatinous, unbranched, blackish-purple
filaments, at first uniseriate later multiseriate, attached by rhizoidal outgrowths from basal and adjacent
cells; cells with central star-shaped rhodoplast with
pyrenoid [6.310].
Habitat. On rocks, wood, etc., as fleecy mat, especially at high tide level on exposed coasts in autumn
and winter, disappearing in spring or early summer, at
other times present as sparse filaments.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (Iceland to Senegal)); W
Atlantic (Brazil and Argentina); Caribbean; W Pacific
(Japan, China); NE Pacific (California, Mexico); IndoPacific/Indian Ocean; Australia.
Uses and Compounds. Consumed as vegetable [6.310]. Have antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral,
cytotoxic [6.205, 311] activity.
Porphyra leucosticta Thuret
Synonym. Pyropia leucosticta (Thuret) Neefus &
J. Brodie
Description. Delicate membranous monostromatic
reddish-brown fronds, becoming pink on drying, to
150 mm long, with very short stipe from basal holdfast [6.1, 2, 312].
Habitat. Usually epiphytic on larger algae, littoral
to shallow sublittoral, spring to autumn, widely distributed, common.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (Norway to Portugal);
Mediterranean; NW Atlantic (Canada and USA); SW
Atlantic (Brazil); SE Atlantic (Angola).
Uses and Compounds. Produces high percentage of
vitamin C and natural carotenoids, and therefore P.
leucosticta could become a valuable source of raw
material to obtain such compounds, which have mul-