| Authority: Areschoug |
Type species: n/a |
|
| Commercial species: menziesii (MEN) |
|
| Common names: Boa kelp, Feather boa, Feather-boa kelp, Ribbon-kelp |
|
|
| Classification: Eukaryota, Phylum Heterokontophyta, Order Laminariales, Family Alariaceae. |
|
| AlgaeBase names and species: 2 names - 2 current as of 12-2001. |
|
|
|
|
| DiveBorneo SeaPlant Utility Rating |
 |
Alginate source - source of fucoidan - wild harvest. |
|
 |
Careful management of harvest required to prevent habitat damage. |
|
|
Description
Egregia plants comprise a holdfast, stipe and a varying number of fronds. Thalli include a tough, flattened rachis that is covered by lateral fronds and pneumatocysts. At the end of the rachis, following a frond-free meristematic region, is a terminal lamina, which is also flattened but wider and not as tough as the rachis. Plants can grow to a height of up to almost 8 meters. The holdfast is formed of several haptera, can be up to 20 cm. in diameter and is usually not disc-shaped. |
Habitat
Egregia species are generally lower intertidal to subtidal kelps. They grow on rocks between about 6 metres and the mean low tide level mainly in environments with heavy wave action. |
|
 |
| click images & go to sources |
|
Egregia production
click country to go to GIS |
Tons per annum
wild harvest |
Tons per annum
cultivated |
| Canada |
n/a |
0 |
| Total |
n/a |
n/a |
0 |
|
Production
Production figures are being sought |
Biology & Agronomy
wild harvest. |
Chemistry
Contains alginates and fucoidan. |
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
A source of alginates and fucoidan; an anticoagulant. Also can be used as a sea vegetable ad as an animal feed component. |
| List of species' uses and community affiliations |
|
| Genus |
GenID |
SpID |
Species |
Uses |
Communities |
| Egregia |
EG |
MEN |
menziesii |
FH |
SV |
|
| click to relevant uses or communities on the index/legend table below>>> |
|
|
|
|
 to uses to communities  |
|
|
|
| Egregia is most strongly associated with the Seavegetables community. |
