Gracilaria folifera (Forsskal) Borgesen

Order Family    Genus Gracilariales Gracilariaceae Gracilaria

 

Gracilaria folifera (Forsskal) Borgesen

Characteristics

Plants sparingly bushy, 10-30 cm tall, dull purple or faded, the lower part relatively slender, above more coarse, thick, subterate to compressed or expanded and 2-15 mm or somewhat more in width, sublinear or laciniate, the margin often prolifercus, branching of one to several degrees, usually in the plane of the blade, ditrichotomous or alternate, terasporangia 20-35 micron diameter long, 30-45 micron long, formed in the upper mature branches just below the surface, pericarps projecting strongly on faces or margins of the blades.

Distribution : Gopnath, Okha,(Gujrat) Bombay, (Maharashtra) Goa.

Ecological status : Grows rarely in the Intertidal zone and abundantly in shallow lagoons and submerged coral reefs.

IUCN status : NE

Uses : It is used as an additional source for agar production.

Culture/Cultivation :