Chondrus crispus Stackhouse
Fact Sheet (Download PDF)
Common names: Irish Moss, Carragheen, Carrageen,
Carrageen Moss (Eng.), Mousse d'Irlande (French),
Irisch Moos (German),
Carraigín (Irish)
Description: Cartilaginous, dark purplish-red fronds,
female plants sometimes iridescent at the apices under water
when in good condition (below) and turning almost completely
greenish-yellow in upper-shore rock-pools (below), to 150 mm
high. Stipe compressed, narrow, expanding gradually onto a flat,
repeatedly dichotomously branched blade, in tufts from a discoid
holdfast. Axils rounded, apices blunt or subacute, frond thicker
in centre than margins. Very variable in breadth of segments
(see broad form below).
Habitat: On rocks (above), in pools, lower intertidal and
shallow subtidal, widely distributed, abundant.
Commercial use: Irish Moss has been used in
Ireland since the beginning of the 19th century as a folk remedy
for respiratory ailments. Its use was exported to New England in
the USA by famine emigrees in the mid-19th century and was
expanded to include sizing of ropes and cooking. Small amounts
are still collected in Ireland for cooking and as a health
drink. In Canada, Acadian Seaplants grow colour and
morphological variants of this species (bottom photographs),
which is sold dried as a novelty salad.
Usage: A source of carrageenan (a sulphated
polysaccharide), and used to make soups, jellies, etc., and in
Ireland as a remedy for respiratory disorders (colds, influenza
and tuberculosis). The colloquial English name
"Carrageen" was introduced in Ireland about 1840 by a
Mr Todhunter from Donegal and is likely to have been taken from
Carrigeen (or Carrigan) Head in Co. Donegal and not from a town
or townland name in Co. Waterford; however, Carrageen or
Carrigeen (carraigín, Irish: diminutive of rock)
is an exceedingly common placename in Ireland.
Chondrus crispus plants gathered in the shallow subtidal
of some of the Maritime Provinces of Canada is an important
source of the industrially-important hydrocolloid
carrageenan.
Similar species:
Mastocarpus stellatus
is frequently collected with Chondrus crispus and sold as
a mixture under the name Carrageen or Irish Moss.
Note: in Germany there is currently a line of
personal toiletries known as
Irisch Moos.
Link: AlgaeBase
Photographs © M.D. Guiry
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