Porphyra umbilicalis Kützing
Common names: Sleabhach, Sleabhcán, Sliucáin, Sleadaí (Irish); Laver, Tough Laver, Slack (English), Nori (generic English name derived from Japanese)
Description: Membranous, one layer in thickness, olive to brown-purple fronds, to 130 mm long and 100 mm wide, irregularaly lobed and split from central holdfast. Appreaing almost orbicular; often much pleated, and multiple baldes grouped together to appear like a rosette. SImilar to thick plastic sheeting to touch.
Habitat: Generally on mussels, sometimes on
rock; mid-intertidal to splash zone, generally distributed,
abundant, especially on exposed coasts in spring and
summer.
Key characteristics:
centrally attached fronds, lettuce-like appearance. May be a
species-complex.
Usage: At Kilkee, Co. Clare, Ireland, it is
gathered in Spring for boiling with bacon where it is known as
known as Slack, Sleabhac, or Sliucáin
(John WIlliams, Kilkee, pers. comm.).
Species list
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