Sea lettuce
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Sea_lettuce".

For the land plant, see Dudleya caespitosa.

;"|Sea lettuce
Ulva lactuca
;" | Scientific classification
Kingdom: Protista Phylum: Chlorophyta Class: Ulvophyceae Order: Ulvales Family: Ulvaceae Genus: Ulva Linnaeus, 1753
Species
See text.

The sea lettuces comprise the genus Ulva, a group of edible green algae widely distributed along the coasts of the world's oceans.

The many species of sea lettuce are a popular food in many of the places where they grow, including Scandinavia, Great Britain, Ireland, China, and Japan (where they are known as aosa). They can be eaten raw in salads, or cooked in soups, and are high in protein, soluble dietary fiber, and a variety of vitamins and minerals including especially iron.

The type species is Ulva lactuca Linnaeus.

Additionally, some species in the genus Monostroma are known as slender sea lettuces.

It is eaten by some sea animals, such as manatees.

Species in the genus Ulva

• Ulva lactuca
• Ulva pertusa
• Ulva fasciata
• Ulva rigida
• Ulva linza

and more at algaeBASE

See also

• Seaweed

External links

• Marine botany: Ulva
• C. Tanner & Robert Wilkes (2005-02-17). Ulva Linnaeus 1753: 1163. AlgaeBase.

This vegetable-related article is a stub. You can help by expanding it.