Caulerpa scalpelliformis (R.Brown ex Turner) C. Agardh

Order Family    Genus Caulerpales Caulerpaceae Caulerpa

Caulerpa scalpelliformis (R.Brown ex Turner) V.Agardh

Characteristics

The palnt is bright yellowish-green to olive green in colour; plants in large associations, with prostrate rhizome-like stolons, rooting from the lower surface at intervals and erect branches above; stolon simple or slightly branched, glabrous glossy, 15 - 20 cm or more long with erect assimilators on the upper faces at intervals of 1 - 2 cm; assilimilators with distinct stipe below, 1 - 2 cm long, simple, rarely forked; occuring in two rows from the upper face of stolons, stolon bilateral, flat, leaf like, 8 - 24 cm or more long, 1 cm or more broad; lenear lanceolate in outline, occasionally constricted at middle; upper end broadly rounded; pinnately branched; branches on the main broad thickened flat rachis closely pinnate, alternately linear, subacute, plano-compressed; 1-2 cm long, 0.3 mm broad; section of thallus with spongy net-work of anastomosing filaments, filled with semifluid matter.

Distribution : Gujarat, Maharashtra, Honawar Bhatkal (Karnataka) Lakshadweep.

Ecological status : Intertidal zone

IUCN status :

Uses : Food and animal feed