Mastocarpus stellatus
It is most collected in North Atlantic regions such as Ireland and Scotland, together with Irish moss, dried, and sold for cooking and as the basis for a drink reputed to ward off colds and flu.The application of M. stellatus in these different industries is correlated with the seaweed's adaptations which developed in response to the environmental stressors present around its location on the rocky intertidal.The mature algae show reproductive structures which develop on erect filaments up to 1 mm (0.039 in) in diameter, these make it readily distinguishable from Chondrus crispus.M. stellatus is rarely found south of Cape Cod on the United States Atlantic coast because it is out competed by C. crispus when the freezing tolerances are lower.West conducted a study and determined that M. stellatus exhibits two distinct biological life cycles and reproduction processes; the first type being heteromorphic and the second being direct.[7] M. stellatuses exhibiting the heteromorphic-type life history are dioecious plants (in a broad sense) that reproduce sexually by alternating diploid crustose tetrasporophytes with foliose gametophytes.Researchers found that the concentration of carrageen substance and efficiency of properties is dependent on the extraction conditions including boiling temperatures, drying methods, and dilution techniques.These compounds were used to create films to determine how chemical structures and biological reactions can be manipulated to produce beneficial levels of elasticity, durability, solubility, water resistance, and thickness required for an effective alternative to food packaging.
Scientific classificationArchaeplastidaRhodophytaFlorideophyceaeGigartinalesPhyllophoraceaeMastocarpusBinomial nameSynonymsRhodophyceaePhyllophoraceaIrish Mossintertidal zoneIrelandScotlandfrondsChondrus crispusBritainLincolnNorfolkSuffolkIcelandFaeroesNorth RussiaRio de OroCanadaCape CodUnited StatesAtlantic coastdesiccationosmotic shockreactive oxygenantioxidantsintertidalenzymescatalasesuperoxide dismutaseglutathione reductaseascorbate peroxidasehydrogen peroxideMichael Guirybiological life cyclesdioeciousdiploidtetrasporophytesgametophytescarposporestetrasporangiameiosisgametesgametophytecarrageenananticoagulantbiodegradablepolysaccharidefood packagingphycocolloidscoagulationWikidataWikispeciesAlgaeBaseiNaturalistObservation.orgOpen Tree of LifeSeaLifeBase