Alaria esculenta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alaria esculenta |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Alaria
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| Species: |
esculenta
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Alaria esculenta is a type of seaweed that people can eat. It's also known by other names like dabberlocks, badderlocks, or winged kelp. This seaweed has been a traditional food for a long time in places around the northern Atlantic Ocean. You can eat it fresh or cooked in countries like Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, and Ireland. It's special because it's the only one of twelve Alaria species found in both Ireland and Great Britain.
Contents
What It Looks Like
Alaria esculenta can grow quite long, up to about 2 meters (that's over 6 feet!). Its whole body, called a frond, is brown. It has a clear, strong middle line, called a midrib. On each side of this midrib, there are wavy, thin parts that can be up to 7 centimeters (about 3 inches) wide.
The frond doesn't have branches and gets narrower towards its end. At the bottom, it has a short stalk, called a stipe. This stipe connects to the rocks using a root-like part called a holdfast. This holdfast helps the seaweed stay attached even in strong waves.
The stipe can also grow several club-shaped parts called sporophylls. These can be up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) long and 5 centimeters (2 inches) wide. These sporophylls are important because they hold the tiny spores that help the seaweed reproduce.
How It Reproduces
Alaria esculenta reproduces using special club-shaped, leafy growths. These growths, called sporangia, appear near the bottom of the seaweed, growing from the stipe. They can become quite large, up to 20 centimeters long and 5 centimeters wide. Inside these sporangia, the seaweed produces tiny zoospores. These spores are released into the water to grow into new Alaria esculenta plants.
Where It Lives and Grows
Alaria esculenta is very common in Ireland, where it's known as Láir or Láracha. You can find it all around the British Isles, except for the very south and east of England. This seaweed lives for more than one year, making it a perennial plant.
It often grows on rocky shores where there are strong waves. You'll usually find it just below the low-water mark, in an area sometimes called the "Laminaria belt." This is where other large brown seaweeds like Laminaria digitata also live.
This seaweed grows quite fast compared to other seaweeds. It can grow about 5.5% bigger each day! It can reach lengths of about 2.5 meters (over 8 feet). It can also protect itself from strong sunlight and UV rays by making special chemicals.
Alaria esculenta can sometimes be home to a tiny pathogenic fungus called Phycomelaina laminariae.
Where It's Found Around the World
You can find Alaria esculenta in many parts of the world, especially in colder waters:
- Europe: Along the Atlantic coast of France, the Channel Islands, Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Heligoland, the Baltic Sea, Iceland, the Faroes, Norway, and Svalbard.
- North America: From New York and New England up through the Maritime Provinces, Newfoundland, Quebec, Labrador, Alaska, the Canadian Arctic, and Greenland.
- Asia: In Japan, Korea, the Kuriles, Sakhalin, and the Kamchatka.
See also
In Spanish: Alaria esculenta para niños
