Seaweed Flora of the European North Atlantic and Mediterranean 6.3 Seaweeds Biodiversity and Potential 113
Part A | 6.3
Uses and Compounds. Extracts have antifungal activity [6.62].
Champia parvula (C. Agardh) Harvey
Description. Soft, gelatinous, pinkish red, muchbranched fronds, densely matted, with blunt apices, to
100 mm high. Axes segmented, with nodal diaphragms,
segments about as broad as long, filled with watery mucilage [6.656].
Habitat. Epiphytic on smaller algae in lower intertidal
pools and sublittoral, South West England and Ireland,
Channel Islands, locally common.
Distribution. Worldwide in tropical to subtropical and
warmer seas with bordering warm-temperate zones.
Uses and Compounds. Extracts have anticoagulant [6.637], and antiherpetic [6.657] activity.
Chylocladia verticillata (Lightfoot) Bliding
Description. Soft, gelatinous, cylindrical, pinkish to
brown-red fronds (often bleached yellow or almost
Fig. 6.39 Underwater photo of Lomentaria articulata
white in sunny Habitats), to 300 mm high, filled
with a watery mucilage. Main axis simple, jointed,
with nodal diaphragms, very slightly constricted at
nodes, 2-several branches per node, themselves often branched, with small beaded ultimate ramuli.
Very variable in branching pattern, plants of exposed coasts often simple with small terminal tufts of
ramuli [6.658].
Habitat. On rocks and stones and epiphytic, lower intertidal and sublittoral, generally distributed, common.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (Norway to Sierra Leone);
Mediterranean.
Uses and Compounds. Extracts have cytotoxic activity [6.659].
Lomentaria articulata (Hudson) Lyngbye
Description. A small (up to 20 cm tall, but usually
much shorter) dark brown to red alga (Fig. 6.39).
The thallus is conspicuously constricted giving a segmented appearance. Starting almost at the base, many
branches grow out of each constriction, the bead-like
segments becoming gradually smaller toward the tip
of the branch. The plant is very shiny and the tips of
branches may be bleached pink or orange [6.1].
Habitat. On rocks and stones in pools, lower intertidal
and sublittoral, generally distributed, frequent.
Distribution. NE and E Atlantic (Scandinavia to
Cameroon), Mediterranean, Black Sea, Indian Ocean
(India), W Pacific (Philippines).
Uses and Compounds. Extracts have antioxidant [6.316], and antimicrobial [6.660] activity.
Rhodymenia pseudoplamata (J.V. Lamouroux)
P.C. Silva
Description. Flattened, fan shaped, rather stiff, rosered fronds, to 100 mm high, with long or short stipes
arising from a discoidal base. Fronds repeatedly dichotomously lobed, axils wide, apices rounded, margin
smooth [6.32].
Habitat. On rocks, shady pools lower intertidal and
sublittoral, also epiphytic on L. hyperborea stipes.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (Scandinavia to Cap
Verde Islands), E Atlantic (W Africa), SE Atlantic
Part A | 6.3
Uses and Compounds. Extracts have antifungal activity [6.62].
Champia parvula (C. Agardh) Harvey
Description. Soft, gelatinous, pinkish red, muchbranched fronds, densely matted, with blunt apices, to
100 mm high. Axes segmented, with nodal diaphragms,
segments about as broad as long, filled with watery mucilage [6.656].
Habitat. Epiphytic on smaller algae in lower intertidal
pools and sublittoral, South West England and Ireland,
Channel Islands, locally common.
Distribution. Worldwide in tropical to subtropical and
warmer seas with bordering warm-temperate zones.
Uses and Compounds. Extracts have anticoagulant [6.637], and antiherpetic [6.657] activity.
Chylocladia verticillata (Lightfoot) Bliding
Description. Soft, gelatinous, cylindrical, pinkish to
brown-red fronds (often bleached yellow or almost
Fig. 6.39 Underwater photo of Lomentaria articulata
white in sunny Habitats), to 300 mm high, filled
with a watery mucilage. Main axis simple, jointed,
with nodal diaphragms, very slightly constricted at
nodes, 2-several branches per node, themselves often branched, with small beaded ultimate ramuli.
Very variable in branching pattern, plants of exposed coasts often simple with small terminal tufts of
ramuli [6.658].
Habitat. On rocks and stones and epiphytic, lower intertidal and sublittoral, generally distributed, common.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (Norway to Sierra Leone);
Mediterranean.
Uses and Compounds. Extracts have cytotoxic activity [6.659].
Lomentaria articulata (Hudson) Lyngbye
Description. A small (up to 20 cm tall, but usually
much shorter) dark brown to red alga (Fig. 6.39).
The thallus is conspicuously constricted giving a segmented appearance. Starting almost at the base, many
branches grow out of each constriction, the bead-like
segments becoming gradually smaller toward the tip
of the branch. The plant is very shiny and the tips of
branches may be bleached pink or orange [6.1].
Habitat. On rocks and stones in pools, lower intertidal
and sublittoral, generally distributed, frequent.
Distribution. NE and E Atlantic (Scandinavia to
Cameroon), Mediterranean, Black Sea, Indian Ocean
(India), W Pacific (Philippines).
Uses and Compounds. Extracts have antioxidant [6.316], and antimicrobial [6.660] activity.
Rhodymenia pseudoplamata (J.V. Lamouroux)
P.C. Silva
Description. Flattened, fan shaped, rather stiff, rosered fronds, to 100 mm high, with long or short stipes
arising from a discoidal base. Fronds repeatedly dichotomously lobed, axils wide, apices rounded, margin
smooth [6.32].
Habitat. On rocks, shady pools lower intertidal and
sublittoral, also epiphytic on L. hyperborea stipes.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (Scandinavia to Cap
Verde Islands), E Atlantic (W Africa), SE Atlantic