Laminaria 

Laminaria
Laminaria hyperborea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Protista
Division: Heterokontophyta
Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Laminariales
Family: Laminariaceae
Genus: Laminaria
J. V. Lamouroux
Species

c. 30 species; see text

Laminaria is a genus of 31 species of brown algae (Phaeophyceae), all sharing the common name "kelp". This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relatively large size. Some species are referred to by the common name Devil's apron, due to their shape,1 or sea colander, due to the perforations present on the lamina.2 It is found in the north Atlantic Ocean and the northern Pacific Ocean at depths from 8 m to 30 m (exceptionally to 120 m in the warmer waters of the Mediterranean Sea and off Brazil).3

Main article: Laminaria stick

The name also refers to the use of this algae to dilate the cervix when induction of pregnancy is necessary. It serves to absorb moisture and then expand, subsequently expanding the cervix.

Species

References

  1. ^ "["http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Devil's+apron" "Definition of Devil's Apron by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Encyclopedia"]".
  2. ^ "["http://www.wellbeingbeingwell.co.uk/sea_vegetables/devil.html" "Devil's apron - Sea Vegetable"]".
  3. ^ M. D. Guiry. "Kelps: Laminaria and Saccharina". www.seaweed.ie.
  4. ^ Y. Yoneshigue-Valentin (1990). "The life cycle of Laminaria abyssalis (Laminariales, Phaeophyta) en cultivo". Hydrobiologia 204–205: 461–466. doi:10.1007/BF00040271, http://www.springerlink.com/content/nx5v56179q3w7153/. 
  5. ^ M. D. Guiry (26 de marzo 2006). "Laminaria abyssalis A. B. Joly & E. B. Oliveira". AlgaeBase.
  6. ^ M. D. Guiry (23 de septiembre 2004). "Laminaria agardhii Kjellman". AlgaeBase.
  7. ^ Taylor (1957). Marine Algae of Northeastern Coast of North America, Ann Arbor. ISBN 0-472-04904-6. 
  8. ^ a b T. Tori (1998). An Illustrated Atlas of the Life History of Algae, Uchida Rokakuho Publishing Co., Ltd. Tokyo. ISBN 4-7536-4057-4. 
  9. ^ M. D. Guiry & Wendy Guiry (29 de septiembre 2006). "Laminaria angustata Kjellman". AlgaeBase.
  10. ^ M. D. Guiry & Olga Selivanova (19 de septiembre 2006). "Laminaria appressirhiza J. E. Petrov & V. B. Vozzhinskaya". AlgaeBase.
  11. ^ M. D. Guiry (24 de abril 2006). "Laminaria brongardiana Postels & Ruprecht". AlgaeBase.
  12. ^ a b c d I. A. Abbott & G. J. Hollenberg (1976). Marine Algae of California, Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. ISBN 0-8047-0867-3. 
  13. ^ M. D. Guiry & Wendy Guiry (29 de septiembre 2006). "Laminaria japonica J. E. Areschoug". AlgaeBase.
  14. ^ H. Stegenga, J. J. Bolton & R. J. Anderson (1997). Seaweeds of the South Africal West Coast, Bolus Herbarium Number 18, University of Cape Town. 
  15. ^ M. D. Guiry (23 de septiembre 2004). "Laminaria pallida Greville". AlgaeBase.