A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Caulerpa lentillifera
This edible seaweed is called Latô in the Philippines, and ウミブドウ(umi-budō, literally "sea grapes") in Japan. It has a soft, succulent texture and is eaten fresh in these countries.
C. lentillifera grows in shallow waters of coral and rocky reefs. It is also farmed at sea and in inland ponds. In the Philippines, this seaweed is successfully farmed in the provinces of Cebu (central Philippines) and Zamboanga (southern).
Spotted this wild-growing forest of C. lentillifera in 10m of water at the dive site called Marissa 2, off the western coast of Samal Island. It was growing on dead table coral and rocks.
Spotted on Jul 26, 2012
Submitted on Aug 11, 2012
2 Comments
Thanks, Joshua! You should try it sometime. Here in the Philippines, we dip it in a vinegar-onion-chili sauce and eat it fresh! ;)
also really cool :) and even way better that they're actually edible... legendary.