Lessonia nigrescens | |
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Lessonia nigrescens at El Quisco beach, Chile | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Clade: | Diaphoretickes |
Clade: | SAR |
Clade: | Stramenopiles |
Phylum: | Gyrista |
Subphylum: | Ochrophytina |
Class: | Phaeophyceae |
Order: | Laminariales |
Family: | Lessoniaceae |
Genus: | Lessonia |
Species: | L. nigrescens
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Binomial name | |
Lessonia nigrescens Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1826
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Lessonia nigrescens, the grey weed or giant grey weed, is a South American kelp species in the genus Lessonia.
There is at least two populations of the seaweed, marked by the difference in phenolic content. There is a subtidal population with higher phenol content and an intertidal population with a lighter phenol content. The difference in the phenolic content can be explained by the herbivory selection pressure due to the sea snail Tegula tridentata.[1]
UV treatment induces the production of phlorotannins that accumulate in physodes.[2]
This weed contains the phytosterol saringosterol that shows an inhibitory effect on Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth.[3]