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| Authority: Postels
& Ruprecht |
Type
species: n/a |
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| Commercial
species: luetkaena
(LUE)
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|
| Common
names: Black kelp, Bladder Kelp, Bull Kelp, Bullwhip kelp,
Cabbage, Giant bull kelp, Giant Kelp, Great kelp, Horsetail Kelp, Ribbon
Kelp, Sea onion, Sea Otter's Cabbage, Sea Otters, Sea Whip, Seatron,
Serpent kelp |
|
|
|
Classification:
Eukaryota, Phylum Heterokontophyta, Order Laminariales, Family
Lessoniaceae. |
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| AlgaeBase
names and species: 2 names - 1 current as of 12-2001. |
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SuriaLink SeaPlant
Utility Rating
|
 |
Minor food & polymer source -
expansion potential |
|
 |
Agronomy & harvesting must use good
environmental practices. |
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Description
Nereocystis luetkeana is the
only species of this genus. Plants comprise a stipe up to 36 m long attached
to the ocean floor by a holdfast composed of numerous haptera and with a
single bladder at the sea surface from which branched, smooth fronds arise.
Fronds can be up to 4 m long and are usually less than 20 cm. It is
generally an annual plant.
|
Habitat
Forms kelp forests parallel to the
seacoast on rocky substrates from a depth of about 5-30 meters. Create reef habitats that support diverse
flora and fauna. |
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 |
|
click
images & go to sources |
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Nereocystis
production
click country to go to GIS |
Tons
per annum
wild harvest |
Tons
per annum
cultivated |
| Canada |
2 |
0 |
| USA |
20 |
0 |
| Total |
22 |
22 |
0 |
|
Production
Approximate annual production figures from recent
years are as above.
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Biology & Agronomy
Wild harvest from carefully managed beds.
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Chemistry
Contains alginates.
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Processing
We have several monographs in progress covering analytical
procedures post-harvest treatment and process technology. Check
the processing
index for available web pages and monographs.
|
Products, Uses & Applications
Source of alginates. |
| List of
species' uses and community affiliations |
|
| Genus |
GenID |
SpID |
Species |
Uses |
Communities |
| Nereocystis |
NR |
LUE |
luetkaena |
FA, FI, FF, IA, PA |
AI, BP |
|
|
click
to relevant uses or communities on the index/legend table below>>> |
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|
 to
uses
to communities
 |
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Nereocystis is most strongly associated with the
Agri-Industry and Biopolymer
communities.
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