250 EIGHTH PACIFIC SCIENCE CONGRESS 



LAMINARIALES 

 Lessonia jlavicans Bory. 

 L. nigrescens Bory. 

 Macrocystis integrifolia Bory. 

 M. pyrifera (L.) C. A. Ag. 



DESMARESTIALES 

 Desmarestia herbacea (L.) Lamx. 

 D. Rossii Hook. f. et Harv. 

 D. Willii Reinsch. 



Edible Algae 



Some algae of the Chilean coast have been utilized from olden 

 times in the feeding of man and animals. In the first place, it must be 

 mentioned, the Durvillaea antarctica fucaceae, whose area extends from 

 Valparaiso to the Antarctic region, is a very large alga with a strong 

 discoidal holdfast, short and strong, cylindrical stipe, prolonged in a 

 palmated frond, wedge-shaped at the base and branched at the top. 

 The people utilize the laminar part of the thallus and stipe, known by 

 the name of Ulte, Huilte or Coyofe. This alga is rich in iodine, con- 

 tains about 5.88 mg. per 100 grs. of dried algae. 



Under the name of Luche or Luchi the chlorophyceae, Ulva lac- 

 tuca, and the rhodophyceae, Porphyra columhina, are consumed. They 

 have the common characteristics of the laminar shape of the thallus 

 and the curly edges. Both are rich in glucids, iodine and vitamins. 



The rhodophyceae Iridaea laminarioides, commonly called Yapin, 

 is used in Chiloe as pig fodder. 



Cattle fodder is prepared in the central zone of Chile from species 

 of Macrocystis. 



In addition there are other species of marine algae susceptible of 

 being utilized as human food or for fodder, belonging for example to 

 the genera Rhodymenia and Gigariina, also utilized in other parts of 

 the world. 



The Algazos, name given to the algae cast up by the sea, are used 

 in Chiloe as fertilizer for potato crops. They include species of the gen- 

 era Enteromorpha, Ulva, and Macrocystis. 



In the distant Easter Island, a Chilean possession, the natives eat 

 the chlorophyceae, Ulva lactuca which they call Kiroke and also a species 

 of Dictyopteris, a Phaeophyceae which they call Auke and coni^ider de- 

 licious. 



