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Purple laver

Purple laver ©Dorset Wildlife Trust

Purple laver

This purply-brown seaweed is a common feature on our rocky shores and on our dinner plates.

Enw gwyddonol

Porphyra umbilicalis

Pryd i'w gweld

January to December

Species information

Category

Ystadegau

Size: up to 20cm across

Statws cadwraethol

Common

Habitats

Ynghylch

Purple laver is a common seaweed found on rocky shores and can tolerate long periods of air exposure between tides. It attaches to the rock with a disc-like holdfast and occurs both singularly and in colonies. The purple fronds are tough but membraneous, being only a few cells thick.

Sut i'w hadnabod

Purple laver is a purplish-brown seaweed with very thin, membrane-like fronds that vary in shape.

Dosbarthiad

Common on rocky shores all around our coasts.

Roeddech chi yn gwybod?

Purple laver is a favourite food in parts of Wales, where it is used to make laver bread and jelly, or rolled in oatmeal and fried in bacon fat. It is often served cold in Cornwall, doused with vinegar.