Botany
One of the most common edible alga, 15 to 25 cm high. Fronds are elongated, cylindrical, 2 to 3 cm in diameter at thickest, gradually diminishing, soft, smootha dn irregularly branched. Purplish with a tinge of green when fresh, yellowish white when dry. Branches are fastigiate, bare below, divided above with tapering branchlets. Fructications consist of small, stalkless, spherical elongated bodies.

Distribution
Plentiful in rocky and sandy places.

Chemical constituents and properties
Gelose, 60%; protein, 2.3%; fat, 0.1%; carbohydrate, 72.5%; galactose; fructose; pentose; iodine, 0.05%.
Pectoral and antidysenteric, emollient, demulcent and alterative.

Parts used and preparation
Entire plant.

Uses
Folkloric
Cough and consumption.
Poultice used for swollen knee joints and sores.
Strained mucilaginous decoction and take extracted jelly for constipation.
Intestinal and bladder difficulties.
Bladder irritiation, menorrhagia, leucorrhea.
Other
Food: Blance the entire plant and eat as salad.
Used in manufacture of commercial agar-agar.

Availability
Wild-crafted.