Alaria esculenta (Linnaeus) Greville 1830
Current name:
Alaria esculenta (Linnaeus) Greville
Spiddal, Co. Galway, Ireland; fronds exposed at low water; note the fertile sporophylls - 18 April 2003. Michael Guiry (mike.guiry@nuigalway.ie)
Publication Details
Alaria esculenta (Linnaeus) Greville 1830: xxxix, 25
Published in: Greville, R.K. (1830). Algae britannicae, or descriptions of the marine and other inarticulated plants of the British islands, belonging to the order Algae; with plates illustrative of the genera. pp. [i]-lxxxviii, [1]-218, pl. 1-19. Edinburgh & London: McLachlan & Stewart; Baldwin & Cradock.
Request PDFPublication date: Feb.-March 1830
Type Species
This is the type species (lectotype) of the genus Alaria.
Status of Name
This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.
Basionym
Fucus esculentus Linnaeus
Type Information
Type locality: Atlantic Ocean; (Widdowson 1971: 31) Lectotype: LINN; 1274.63 (Widdowson 1971: 31)
Origin of Species Name
Adjective (Latin), edible (Stearn 1983).
General Environment
This is a marine species.
Description
Plants with olive or yellow-brown fronds to 4 m long and 25 cm wide. Attached by a root-like holdfast at the base from which a narrow flexible stipe arises which continues into the leafy part of the plant as a distinct mid-rib. The reproductive structures, apparent as dark-brown areas, are confined to unbranched leafy appendages borne on the stipe, usually in two rows. This is the only kelp-like plant in Ireland and Britain with a distinct midrib and is the only one with sporangia borne at the base of the frond in special leaflets called sporophylls.
Habitat
Generally growing on rock in very exposed places, often forming a band at low water and in the shallow subtidal, but also occurring in tidal pools in the lower shore.
Created: 31 March 1996 by M.D. Guiry.
Last updated: 01 November 2024
Verification of Data
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Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=82
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 01 November 2024. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 28 November 2024
