Culinary name
Devaleraea ramentacea
SIZE:
Up to 40 cm.
LIFE EXPECTANCY:
Unknown.
LIFE CYCLE:
Spring species, found on the south side of the Gaspé Peninsula. Once July has passed, it is difficult to find Devaleraea ramentacea.
Devaleraea ramentacea is a dark red alga with a varying appearance: hollow and tube-shaped when young, flattened when fully grown. Branches are present at the base of the alga. These become more numerous as young individuals develop on the previous year’s stipe.
Coastal zone, in cold waters.
Devaleraea ramentacea settles on rocks in environments exposed to waves.
Devaleraea ramentacea lives in the tidal zone and can be found almost out of the water at low tide. Credit : Éric Tamigneaux, photo taken in Pointe-Saint-Pierre.
PREDATORS:
Herbivorous molluscs
Herbivorous gastropods
This alga is not yet commercially harvested in Québec.
Máirin de Valéra
Devaleraea ramentacea was described as a new species in 1982. Its Latin genus name, Devaleraea, is a tribute to the Irish researcher Máirin de Valéra, founder of the Phycological Society of Great Britain.
Devaleraea ramentacea is a Smarter seafood-listed species.
LET’S COOK:
Crunchy, firm texture.
The waters of the St. Lawrence are known for their good quality. However, as algae absorb the elements present in the water to grow, it is preferable to ensure that the harvesting site is clean before eating this species fresh.
