Kingdom Plantae Higher classification Sea lettuce | Scientific name Ulva intestinalis Rank Species | |
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Similar Sea lettuce, Ulva lactuca, Green algae, Ulva compressa, Ulvaceae | ||
Ulva intestinalis , formerly referred to as Enteromorpha intestinalis (Linnaeus) Nees, is a green alga in the phylum Chlorophyta, of the genus Ulva (sea lettuce), also known by the common names gutweed and grass kelp. Until they were reclassified by genetic work completed in the early 2000s, the tubular members of the genus Ulva were in the genus Enteromorpha.
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Distribution
Generally world-wide. It can be found in Bering Sea near Alaska, Aleutian islands, Puget Sound, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Philippines,and Russia. Besides this, places it can be found in Israel, and in such European countries as Azores, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Norway, Poland, and in such seas as the Baltic, and Mediterranean Sea. It is also found in the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
Description
The fronds have branches and are completely tubular expanding in width to mid-thallus. reaching 15 cm long or more. The cells are irregularly arranged and the chloroplast is hood-shaped and placed to one side, generally with only one pyrenoid. The species may be 10–30 centimetres (3.9–11.8 in) long and 6–18 millimetres (0.24–0.71 in) wide. They have rounded tips as well. The algae may be reproductive at all times of the year. The life-history shows an alteration of generations, isomorphic - gametophytic and sporophytic. In some references the species (Enteromorpha intestinalis) is treated as two subspecies: ssp. intestinalis (L.) Link and ssp. compressa (L.) Link.
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