Gracilaria verrucosa (Hudson) Paperfuss

Order Family    Genus Gracilariales Gracilariaceae Gracilaria

Gracilaria verrucosa (Hudson) Paperfuss

Characteristics

Plants bushy, 1-3dm tall, with age often becoming free, texture firmly fleshy, colour dull purplish, grayish or grenish translucent, branches 0.5-2 mm diameter, repeatedly dividing, alternately or occasionally dichotomously branched with numerous lateral proliferations, terete throughout, tapering to the ultimate branchlets, cells of the medulla 300-450 micron diameter, with rather thin walls, cortex of 2-3 layers of small cells, tetrasporangia numerous, scattered over the branchlets, oval, from the surface 22-30 micron diameter, in section 30-33 micron long, cystocarps very prominent, often numerous.

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

Ecological status : Mangrove swamps, brackish water.

IUCN status : EN

Uses : It is used as raw material for agar manufacture. It is also eaten raw as salad or cooked with vegetables, animal feed.