Seaweed Flora of the European North Atlantic and Mediterranean 6.3 Seaweeds Biodiversity and Potential 125
Part A | 6.3
formly distributed along the main branches or come
together as brooms nearest their tops. In winter and
spring, there are many (air) bladders on branches. Cryptostoma are numerous on the surface of the branches
and (air) bladders. The receptacles are spare shaded
or cylindrical 0:21 cm long, strongly stressed on the
scaphidia surface and with thready sterile tops; gathered in dense installments on the lateral surface of the
branches: often in the receptacles the (air) bladders
are metamorphosed and are distributed close the top
branches [6.784].
Habitat. Rocky bottoms on pebbly grounds in sublittoral areas at 0:510 m depths.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (France to Portugal);
Mediterranean, India and Russia.
Uses and Compounds. Source of alginic acid and the
extracts have antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiHIV, and hypoglycemic activity [6.130, 192, 201, 784–
788].
Cystoseira brachycarpa J. Agardh
Synonym. Cystoseira balearica Sauvageau
Description. Plant caespitose, to 2025 cm in height,
attached to the substratum by a more or less compact discoid base formed of haptera; axes numerous, 2 –6 with 8 cm high; apices of the axes not
very prominent, flattened and smooth; tophules absent. Primary branches cylindrical, seasonally either with smooth bases or covered with small
spinose; conical appendages, some of witch can
give rise to smaller branches; secondary and tertiary
branches also cylindrical and covered with spinose
appendages [6.789].
Habitat. Occurs in the upper sublittoral zone, from the
surface to several meters depth, in moderately exposed
and high light-intensity places.
Distribution. Mediterranean.
Uses and Compounds. The linear diterpenes eleganolone and elegandiol, isolated from C. brachycarpa, inhibit contractile activities of acetylcholine
and histamine on ileum musculature of guinea
pigs [6.790, 791]. Extracts have antimicrobial and antiviral [6.62, 136, 792, 793], antifungal, cytotoxic, and
antimitotic [6.62] activity.
Cystoseira compressa (Esper)
Gerloff & Nizamuddin
Description. C. compressa has a discoid base with
several spined axes; the axes have denticulate margins. It is irregularly branched with compressed primary
ramifications, and compact crawling receptacles; the
axes have a height of 10100 mm, and a thickness
of 25 mm. This alga lacks any leaves, tophules, and
air vesicles; C. compressa has an olive-brown coloration [6.794].
Habitat. On rocky substrata, especially in the shallow
sublittoral of light exposed, sheltered locations, to 30 m
depth.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (Azores, Canary Islands);
Mediterranean.
Uses and Compounds. Extracts have anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative [6.795], antimicrobial [6.72,
248], antiviral, and cytotoxic [6.72] activity.
Cystoseira crinita Duby
Description. C. crinita has an upright, bushy thallus
with smooth axes; it reaches a height of 50350 mm,
and a width of 200500 mm. The main branches
are rough, thin, and alternate; the upper section is
particularly densely branched. The secondary ramifications are lacking spines, and the terminal receptacles are long, and compact. This alga lacks
tophules and the gas vacuoles are either missing
or few. C. crinita has a light-brown to blackish
coloration [6.796].
Habitat. Rocky bottoms on pebbly grounds in sublittoral areas.
Distribution. Mediterranean.
Uses and Compounds. Extracts have antibacterial [6.114, 474, 735], antioxidant [6.717, 797, 798], antiviral and cytotoxic [6.735], anti-inflammatory, and
antiproliferative [6.798] activity.
Cystoseira foeniculacea (Linnaeus) Greville
Description. Plant caespitose, to 30 cm, attached to
the substratum by a wide and irregular basal disk. Axes
to 10 cm high, with a circular cross-section (to 5 mm),
normally spinose and with small scars from dehisced
primary branches; apices of the axes not very prominent, with small spines [6.799].
Part A | 6.3
formly distributed along the main branches or come
together as brooms nearest their tops. In winter and
spring, there are many (air) bladders on branches. Cryptostoma are numerous on the surface of the branches
and (air) bladders. The receptacles are spare shaded
or cylindrical 0:21 cm long, strongly stressed on the
scaphidia surface and with thready sterile tops; gathered in dense installments on the lateral surface of the
branches: often in the receptacles the (air) bladders
are metamorphosed and are distributed close the top
branches [6.784].
Habitat. Rocky bottoms on pebbly grounds in sublittoral areas at 0:510 m depths.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (France to Portugal);
Mediterranean, India and Russia.
Uses and Compounds. Source of alginic acid and the
extracts have antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiHIV, and hypoglycemic activity [6.130, 192, 201, 784–
788].
Cystoseira brachycarpa J. Agardh
Synonym. Cystoseira balearica Sauvageau
Description. Plant caespitose, to 2025 cm in height,
attached to the substratum by a more or less compact discoid base formed of haptera; axes numerous, 2 –6 with 8 cm high; apices of the axes not
very prominent, flattened and smooth; tophules absent. Primary branches cylindrical, seasonally either with smooth bases or covered with small
spinose; conical appendages, some of witch can
give rise to smaller branches; secondary and tertiary
branches also cylindrical and covered with spinose
appendages [6.789].
Habitat. Occurs in the upper sublittoral zone, from the
surface to several meters depth, in moderately exposed
and high light-intensity places.
Distribution. Mediterranean.
Uses and Compounds. The linear diterpenes eleganolone and elegandiol, isolated from C. brachycarpa, inhibit contractile activities of acetylcholine
and histamine on ileum musculature of guinea
pigs [6.790, 791]. Extracts have antimicrobial and antiviral [6.62, 136, 792, 793], antifungal, cytotoxic, and
antimitotic [6.62] activity.
Cystoseira compressa (Esper)
Gerloff & Nizamuddin
Description. C. compressa has a discoid base with
several spined axes; the axes have denticulate margins. It is irregularly branched with compressed primary
ramifications, and compact crawling receptacles; the
axes have a height of 10100 mm, and a thickness
of 25 mm. This alga lacks any leaves, tophules, and
air vesicles; C. compressa has an olive-brown coloration [6.794].
Habitat. On rocky substrata, especially in the shallow
sublittoral of light exposed, sheltered locations, to 30 m
depth.
Distribution. NE Atlantic (Azores, Canary Islands);
Mediterranean.
Uses and Compounds. Extracts have anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative [6.795], antimicrobial [6.72,
248], antiviral, and cytotoxic [6.72] activity.
Cystoseira crinita Duby
Description. C. crinita has an upright, bushy thallus
with smooth axes; it reaches a height of 50350 mm,
and a width of 200500 mm. The main branches
are rough, thin, and alternate; the upper section is
particularly densely branched. The secondary ramifications are lacking spines, and the terminal receptacles are long, and compact. This alga lacks
tophules and the gas vacuoles are either missing
or few. C. crinita has a light-brown to blackish
coloration [6.796].
Habitat. Rocky bottoms on pebbly grounds in sublittoral areas.
Distribution. Mediterranean.
Uses and Compounds. Extracts have antibacterial [6.114, 474, 735], antioxidant [6.717, 797, 798], antiviral and cytotoxic [6.735], anti-inflammatory, and
antiproliferative [6.798] activity.
Cystoseira foeniculacea (Linnaeus) Greville
Description. Plant caespitose, to 30 cm, attached to
the substratum by a wide and irregular basal disk. Axes
to 10 cm high, with a circular cross-section (to 5 mm),
normally spinose and with small scars from dehisced
primary branches; apices of the axes not very prominent, with small spines [6.799].