Classification ⁹

Phylum: Rhodophyta
Class: Florideophyceae
Order: Gigartinales
Family: Phyllophoraceae
Source URL: http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=V222388bd0e8bac1f

Summary ¹⁰

Mastocarpus stellatus, also called Clúimhín Cait (cats' puff), carragheen, or false Irish moss, is a species of red algae closely related to Irish Moss, or Chondrus crispus. It is collected in Ireland and Scotland, together with Chondrus crispus as Irish moss, dried, and sold for cooking and as the basis for a drink reputed to ward off colds and flu. The fronds are channelled unlike those of Chondrus crispus, and it has a curved stipe whereas Chondrus has a flat one. It occurs commonly on rocks in the mid- and lower-intertidal.

Description ¹¹

 A small red alga (up to 17 cm in length), the fronds are channelled with a thickened edge and widen from a narrow stipe with disc-like holdfast. The channelling is often slight and is most noticeable at the base of the frond. Mature plants have conspicuous growths of short, shout papillae (reproductive bodies) on the fronds. The plant is dark reddish-brown to purple in colour and may be bleached. The common name false Irish moss is used as it may be confused with Chondrus crispus (Irish moss). The main features separating the two species being the channelled frond and appearance of reproductive bodies on mature plants.May be collected with Chondrus crispus as a source of 'carrageen', which is used to make soups and jellies, and also as a remedy for respiratory disorders in Ireland ('Carrageen' is a hot water extract of red algae).

Taxon biology ¹²

False Irish moss is a red seaweed, resembling a stiff, thinner version of Irish moss. The fronds have thick rims and seem to have a channel flowing through them. This seaweed is found in the lower to mid tidal zone which is not exposed for too long, often attached to rocks. Sometimes, you find this seaweed higher up on the dike or on rocks, but then growing under knotted wrack plants. Like some other red seaweeds, false Irish moss is used in the food industry as a thickening agent and stabilizer. If the E-number 407 is among the ingredients, that could mean you're eating this seaweed. In Ireland and Scotland, they use it together with Irish moss to make a drink which is reputed to ward off colds and flus.

Habitat ¹³

 This alga is found on rocky shores, particularly in very exposed areas where it grows amongst barnacles and mussels, on less exposed shores it is often abundant under fucoids. It mainly inhabits the lower shore and rockpools, but can be found in the shallow sublittoral and occasionally deeper waters.

Habitat ¹⁴

Depth range based on 151 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 33 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 3.5
  Temperature range (°C): 11.471 - 12.348
  Nitrate (umol/L): 4.729 - 7.121
  Salinity (PPS): 35.184 - 35.363
  Oxygen (ml/l): 6.069 - 6.200
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.336 - 0.439
  Silicate (umol/l): 2.315 - 3.285

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0 - 3.5

Temperature range (°C): 11.471 - 12.348

Nitrate (umol/L): 4.729 - 7.121

Salinity (PPS): 35.184 - 35.363

Oxygen (ml/l): 6.069 - 6.200

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.336 - 0.439

Silicate (umol/l): 2.315 - 3.285
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this note. Your feedback is most welcome.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Bas Kers (NL), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/21933510@N07/10929264814/
2. (c) Chris Moody, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://www.flickr.com/photos/11266603@N04/5808607069
3. (c) Biodiversity Heritage Library, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/biodivlibrary/6972256608/
4. (c) licensed media from BioImages DwCA without owner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/../image.php?id=101700
5. (c) licensed media from BioImages DwCA without owner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/../image.php?id=101701
6. Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chondrus_crispus_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-034.jpg
7. Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mastocarpus_stellatus.JPG
8. Pierre-Louis Crouan (1798-1871) & Hippolyte-Marie Crouan (1802-1871), no known copyright restrictions (public domain), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mastocarpus_stellatus_Crouan.jpg
9. (c) Joseph deVeer, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
10. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastocarpus_stellatus
11. Adapted by Joseph deVeer from a work by (c)  The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/10658099
12. Adapted by Joseph deVeer from a work by (c) Copyright Ecomare, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/22757895
13. Adapted by Joseph deVeer from a work by (c)  The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/10658100
14. Adapted by Joseph deVeer from a work by Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/17325542

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Flora Digital de Portugal
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• NBN Atlas
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos

Range Map

(c) Discover Life and original sources, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-SA)

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