''Desmarestia'' is a genus of
brown algae found worldwide. It is also called acid weed, acidweed,
', sea sorrel,
(), ', mermaid's hair, landlady's wig, or '.
However, 'sea sorrel' can also specifically refer to ''
Desmarestia viridis''. Members of this genus can be either annual or perennial.
Annual members of this genus store
sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid ( Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen and hydrogen, with the molecular formu ...
in intracellular
vacuole
A vacuole () is a membrane-bound organelle which is present in plant and fungal cells and some protist, animal, and bacterial cells. Vacuoles are essentially enclosed compartments which are filled with water containing inorganic and organic mo ...
s. When exposed to air they release the acid, thereby destroying themselves and nearby seaweeds in the process. They are found in shallow
intertidal zone
The intertidal zone, also known as the foreshore, is the area above water level at low tide and underwater at high tide (in other words, the area within the tidal range). This area can include several types of habitats with various species o ...
s.
Ingesting sulfuric acid can cause severe digestive problems.
but since sulfuric acid tastes extremely sour, members of the genus are unlikely to be eaten in harmful quantities.
The genus was named in honor of
Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest
Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest (6 March 1784 – 4 June 1838) was a French Zoology, zoologist and author. He was the son of Nicolas Desmarest and father of Eugène Anselme Sébastien Léon Desmarest. Desmarest was a disciple of Georges Cuvier and Alex ...
.
Species
AlgaeBase lists 32 currently accepted species within the genus ''Desmarestia'', not including variations and subspecies.
* ''
Desmarestia aculeata''
( L.) J.V.Lamouroux - Type specimen for the genus
* ''
Desmarestia anceps''
( Montagne)
* ''
Desmarestia antarctica
''Desmarestia'' is a genus of brown algae found worldwide. It is also called acid weed, acidweed, ', sea sorrel, (), ', mermaid's hair, landlady's wig, or '. However, 'sea sorrel' can also specifically refer to '' Desmarestia viridis''. Me ...
''
( R.L.Moe & P.C.Silva)
* ''
Desmarestia chordalis''
( J.D.Hooker & Harvey
Harvey, Harveys or Harvey's may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Harvey'' (play), a 1944 play by Mary Chase about a man befriended by an invisible anthropomorphic rabbit
* Harvey Awards ("Harveys"), one of the most important awards ...
)
* ''
Desmarestia confervoides''
(Bory de Saint-Vincent
Jean-Baptiste Geneviève Marcellin Bory de Saint-Vincent was a French natural history, naturalist, Officer (armed forces), officer and politician. He was born on 6 July 1778 in Agen (Lot-et-Garonne) and died on 22 December 1846 in Paris. Biologis ...
) M.E.Ramírez & A.F.Peters
* ''
Desmarestia distans''
( C.Agardh) J.Agardh
* ''
Desmarestia dudresnayi''
J.V.Lamouroux ex Léman
* ''
Desmarestia farcta''
Setchell & Gardner
* ''
Desmarestia filamentosa''
E.Y.Dawson
* ''
Desmarestia firma''
( C.Agardh) Skottsberg
* ''
Desmarestia foliacea''
V.A.Pease
* ''
Desmarestia gayana''
Montagne
* ''
Desmarestia herbacea
''Desmarestia herbacea'' is a species of brown algae found worldwide. Its common names include color changer, Desmarest's flattened weed, and sea sorrel, though the last name can also refer to other species of ''Desmarestia
''Desmarestia'' ...
''
( Turner) J.V.Lamouroux
* ''
Desmarestia inanis''
Postels & Ruprecht
* ''
Desmarestia intermedia''
Postels & Ruprecht
* ''
Desmarestia kurilensis''
Yamada
Yamada (山田, ) is the 12th most common Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*, Japanese model, actress and idol
*, Japanese field hockey player
*, Japanese illustrator and manga artist
*, Japanese rugby union player
*, Ja ...
* ''
Desmarestia latifrons
''Desmarestia'' is a genus of brown algae found worldwide. It is also called acid weed, acidweed, ', sea sorrel, (), ', mermaid's hair, landlady's wig, or '. However, 'sea sorrel' can also specifically refer to ''Desmarestia viridis''. Memb ...
''
( Ruprecht) Kützing
* ''
Desmarestia latissima
''Desmarestia'' is a genus of brown algae found worldwide. It is also called acid weed, acidweed, ', sea sorrel, (), ', mermaid's hair, landlady's wig, or '. However, 'sea sorrel' can also specifically refer to ''Desmarestia viridis''. Memb ...
''
Setchell & Gardner
* ''
Desmarestia ligulata
''Desmarestia ligulata'' is a species of brown algae found worldwide. Its common names include color changer, Desmarest's flattened weed, and sea sorrel, though the last name can also refer to other species of ''Desmarestia''.
Habitat
This speci ...
''
( Stackhouse) J.V.Lamouroux
* ''
Desmarestia menziesii''
J.Agardh
* ''
Desmarestia muelleri''
M.E.Ramírez & A.F.Peters
* ''
Desmarestia munda
''Desmarestia'' is a genus of brown algae found worldwide. It is also called acid weed, acidweed, ', sea sorrel, (), ', mermaid's hair, landlady's wig, or '. However, 'sea sorrel' can also specifically refer to ''Desmarestia viridis''. Memb ...
''
Setchell & N.L.Gardner
* ''
Desmarestia patagonica''
Asensi Asensi is a Spanish surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Alex Asensi (born 1984), Spanish photographer and Pingpongo player
*François Asensi (born 1945), Member of the National Assembly of France
*Juan Manuel Asensi (born 1949), Spa ...
* ''
Desmarestia peruviana''
Montagne
* ''
Desmarestia pinnatinervia
''Desmarestia'' is a genus of brown algae found worldwide. It is also called acid weed, acidweed, ', sea sorrel, (), ', mermaid's hair, landlady's wig, or '. However, 'sea sorrel' can also specifically refer to ''Desmarestia viridis''. Memb ...
''
Montagne
* ''
Desmarestia pteridoides''
Reinsch
* ''
Desmarestia rossii''
J.D.Hooker & Harvey
Harvey, Harveys or Harvey's may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Harvey'' (play), a 1944 play by Mary Chase about a man befriended by an invisible anthropomorphic rabbit
* Harvey Awards ("Harveys"), one of the most important awards ...
* ''
Desmarestia sivertsenii
''Desmarestia'' is a genus of brown algae found worldwide. It is also called acid weed, acidweed, ', sea sorrel, (), ', mermaid's hair, landlady's wig, or '. However, 'sea sorrel' can also specifically refer to ''Desmarestia viridis''. Memb ...
''
Baardseth
* ''
Desmarestia tabacoides''
Okamura Okamura (written: 岡村 lit. "hill village") is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* , Japanese voice actor
* , Japanese photographer
* Allison Okamura, American roboticist
* Arthur Okamura, American silk screen artist
...
* ''
Desmarestia tortuosa''
A.R.O. Chapman
* ''
Desmarestia tropica
''Desmarestia tropica'', sometimes called tropical acidweed, is a species of seaweed in the family Desmarestiaceae. It is critically endangered, possibly extinct, and one of only fifteen protists evaluated by IUCN. Endemic to the Galápagos Is ...
''
W.R.Taylor - tropical acidweed
* ''
Desmarestia viridis''
( O.F.Müller) J.V.Lamouroux - stringy acid kelp, green acid kelp, Desmarest's green weed, or sea sorrel
Gallery
References
Brown algae genera
Desmarestiales
{{Phaeophyceae-stub