Lithothamnion
Genus of algae
Lithothamnion is a genus of thalloid red alga comprising 103 species. Its members are known by a number of common names. The monomerous, crustose thalli are composed of a single system of filaments which grow close to the underlying surface. Lithothamnion reproduces by means of multiporate conceptacles.
01Species
The valid species currently considered to belong to this genus are:
- L. album
- L. antarcticum
- L. apiculatum
- L. asperulatum
- L. aucklandicum
- L. australe
- L. brasiliense
- L. breviaxe
- L. calcareum
- L. californicum
- L. capense
- L. carolii
- L. chathamense
- L. circumscriptum
- L. colliculosum
- L. corallioides
- L. coralloides
- L. cottonii
- L. coulmanicum
- L. crispatum
- L. dehiscens
- L. diguetii
- L. ectocarpon
- L. elegans
- L. engelhartii
- L. esperi
- L. expansum
- L. flavescens
- L. fornicatum
- L. fragiissimum
- L. fruticulosum
- L. fuegianum
- L. geppiorum
- L. gibbosum
- L. giganteum
- L. glaciale
- L. grade
- L. grande
- L. granuliferum
- L. guadalupense
- L. hamelii
- L. haptericola
- L. hauckii
- L. heterocladum
- L. heteromorphum
- L. incrustans
- L. indicum
- L. insigne
- L. intermedium
- L. islei
- L. japonicum
- L. kerguelenum
- L. labradorense
- L. lacroixi
- L. laminosum
- L. lemoineae
- L. magnum
- L. maldivicum
- L. mangini
- L. margaritae
- L. marlothii
- L. minervae
- L. montereyicum
- L. muelleri
- L. murmanicum
- L. neglectum
- L. nitidum
- L. nodulosum
- L. norvegicum
- L. notarisii
- L. novae-zelandiae
- L. occidentale
- L. pacificum
- L. pauciporosum
- L. peleense
- L. peruviense
- L. philippii
- L. phymatodeum
- L. pocillum
- L. polymorphum
- L. praefruticulosum
- L. proliferum
- L. propontidis
- L. rugosum
- L. ruptile
- L. scabiosum
- L. sejunctum
- L. sonderi
- L. soriferum
- L. spissum
- L. squarrulosum
- L. tenue
- L. thelostegium
- L. tophiforme
- L. tusterense
- L. ungeri
- L. valens
- L. validum
- L. van
- L. vanheurckii
- L. vescum
- L. volcanum
02Uses
The species Lithothamnium calcareum is, besides Tricalcium phosphate, often used as food fortification in plant-based milk substitutes to achieve a similar calcium content as a cow milk which is around 120 mg/100 ml. However, in April 2021 the European Court of Justice forbade its use in organic food products such as drinks.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Lithothamnion”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Lithothamnion glaciale.jpg by Smith609, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Vegan calcium supplements.jpg by Mx. Granger, CC0
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