Seaweed Flora of the European North Atlantic and Mediterranean 6.3 Seaweeds Biodiversity and Potential 83
Part A | 6.3
Class: Florideophyceae
Order: Ahnfeltiales
Ahnfeltia plicata (Hudson) E.M. Fries
Description. Perennial red seaweed which forms
dense, tangled tufts (Fig. 6.12). The fronds are very
fine, tough, and wiry with irregular or dichotomous
branching and up to 21 cm in length. The holdfast
is disk-like or encrusting, 0:52 cm in diameter. The
fronds are dark brown when moist and appear almost
black when dry. The uppermost branches are often
green [6.327].
Habitat. On rocks, mid-littoral to sublittoral, especially common on sand-covered rocks, widely distributed, common.
Distribution. N and NE Atlantic (Greenland to
Azores); SW Atlantic (Uruguay); NE Pacific (Alaska
to Mexico); NW Pacific (Russia); SE Pacific (Chile);
Indian Ocean; Antarctica and the Sub-Antarctic
Islands.
Uses and Compounds. A source of so-called Russian Agar (agar of high quality and low sulfate content) [6.32, 328, 329]. A. plicata is one of the major
seaweeds harvested for commercial colloid production
as it produces a very high quality, low sulfate and used
for many purposes. It forms a major component of
Asian cooking, often showing up in soups and jellies.
Fig. 6.12 Ahnfeltia plicata specimens
As a nonanimal derived thickening agent, A. plicata is
also widely used for vegan products (such as marshmallows, gummy bears, cosmetics, etc.) in place of
gelatin [6.330].
Order: Bonnemaisoniales
Asparagopsis armata Harvey
Common Names. Harpoon weed, Harpoon-alga.
Description. Thallus of the gametophyte tufted, main
axes cylindrical, denuded at the base, densely tufted
apically, tufts with pyramidal outline, forming lateral
brush-like tassels; some lateral branches develop into
unbranched, elongated-pointed harpoon-like anchoring
structures covered with barbed hooks (a characteristic
feature of the species) which are usually pinnately arranged (Fig. 6.13). The tetrasporophyte (Falkenbergia
Fig. 6.13 Underwater photo of Asparagopsis armata
Part A | 6.3
Class: Florideophyceae
Order: Ahnfeltiales
Ahnfeltia plicata (Hudson) E.M. Fries
Description. Perennial red seaweed which forms
dense, tangled tufts (Fig. 6.12). The fronds are very
fine, tough, and wiry with irregular or dichotomous
branching and up to 21 cm in length. The holdfast
is disk-like or encrusting, 0:52 cm in diameter. The
fronds are dark brown when moist and appear almost
black when dry. The uppermost branches are often
green [6.327].
Habitat. On rocks, mid-littoral to sublittoral, especially common on sand-covered rocks, widely distributed, common.
Distribution. N and NE Atlantic (Greenland to
Azores); SW Atlantic (Uruguay); NE Pacific (Alaska
to Mexico); NW Pacific (Russia); SE Pacific (Chile);
Indian Ocean; Antarctica and the Sub-Antarctic
Islands.
Uses and Compounds. A source of so-called Russian Agar (agar of high quality and low sulfate content) [6.32, 328, 329]. A. plicata is one of the major
seaweeds harvested for commercial colloid production
as it produces a very high quality, low sulfate and used
for many purposes. It forms a major component of
Asian cooking, often showing up in soups and jellies.
Fig. 6.12 Ahnfeltia plicata specimens
As a nonanimal derived thickening agent, A. plicata is
also widely used for vegan products (such as marshmallows, gummy bears, cosmetics, etc.) in place of
gelatin [6.330].
Order: Bonnemaisoniales
Asparagopsis armata Harvey
Common Names. Harpoon weed, Harpoon-alga.
Description. Thallus of the gametophyte tufted, main
axes cylindrical, denuded at the base, densely tufted
apically, tufts with pyramidal outline, forming lateral
brush-like tassels; some lateral branches develop into
unbranched, elongated-pointed harpoon-like anchoring
structures covered with barbed hooks (a characteristic
feature of the species) which are usually pinnately arranged (Fig. 6.13). The tetrasporophyte (Falkenbergia
Fig. 6.13 Underwater photo of Asparagopsis armata