If you have ever walked along a river or stream you have probably noticed a mossy green alage on the rocks. If you try to step on the rocks, it is slippery.
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| Image: W. Bourland |
This green, soft algae is referred to as cladophora. Cladophora is also known as "river weed" and in Laos it is even eaten as a delicacy in the form of dry sheets, similar to Japanese nori.
Cladophora is a filamentous bloom, meaning it is an algae with longer tendrils. It is often found on rocks in streams or rivers and growing around waterfalls. When viewed under a high power
biological microscope, then longer tendrils have multiple fingers that shoot off of each branch.
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| Image: W. Bourland |
