Kingdom Plantae Order Bryopsidales Genus Caulerpa Higher classification Caulerpa | Division Chlorophyta Family Caulerpaceae Scientific name Caulerpa lentillifera Rank Species | |
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Similar Caulerpa, Okinawa soba, Cladosiphon okamuranus, Chanpurū, Rafute | ||
Caulerpa lentillifera is a species of bryopsidale green algae from coastal regions in the Indo-Pacific. This seaweed is one of the favored species of edible Caulerpa due to its soft and succulent texture. C. lentillifera is farmed in the Philippines, where it is locally called ar-arosep, lato, arosep or ar-arosip (as variant names), latok in the Malaysian state of Sabah, and in Okinawa where the plant is eaten fresh.
The pond cultivation of C. lentillifera has been very successful on Mactan Island, Cebu, in the central Philippines, with markets in Cebu and Manila. About 400 ha of ponds are under cultivation, producing 12–15 tonnes of fresh seaweed per hectare per year. C. lentillifera is also eaten in Okinawa, where it is known as umi-budō (海ぶどう), meaning "sea grapes".
C. lentillifera is usually eaten raw with vinegar, as a snack or in a salad. In the Philippines, after being washed in clean water, it is usually eaten raw as a salad, mixed with chopped raw shallots and fresh tomatoes, and dressed with a blend of fish sauce or fish paste (locally called bagoong) and vinegar. It is known to be rich in iodine.
