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Dieren en planten

Plants   Brown seaweed   Oarweed   Flora of the sea floor   Seaweeds   Flora of the sea dikes   

Water en land

Rocky coasts   Sea dikes (biotope)   

Mens en Milieu

Oarweed

size:

1 to 4 meters long; 50% stem, 50% extensions

shape:

single round stem ending in flattened extensions

  • Dut: Vingerwier
  • Lat: Laminaria digitata
  • Eng: Oarweed, tangle, tangleweed
  • Ger: Fingertang
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Oarweed, foto fitis, sytske dijksen

Oarweed

Oarweed looks like long broad glossy ribbons. It can grow up to 2 meters in length and down to depths of 20 meters as long as the water is relatively clear and the bottom is rocky. The fronds split into finger-like extensions. This brown seaweed is leathery and flexible. Oarweed has clinging-roots with which it attaches itself under water to stones. It makes a good place for many marine animals and even other seaweeds to live or grown on. Oarweed is edible. You find it sold in stores as kelp.

  • Distribution and habitat

    Oarweed is found in the Netherlands on rocky areas by Texel, Den Helder, Westkapelle and Neeltje Jans. The more exposed it is to light, the more fingers it has. It can have as much as 10 to 12 fingers, sometimes extending down to the base.