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rocky shore

Mermaid's fan Padina sp. Family Dictyotaceae

Mermaid's fan is a brown seaweed. It is seasonally abundant and most commonly seen in rock pools. The seaweed has a fan shape that grows in concentric circles. In some species incorporate calcium. This is unusual for plants. 'Normal' plants such as grass incorporate silica and not calcium to strengthen and defend themselves.

Human uses: Some species of Mermaid's fan are eaten by people, fed to livestock or used as fertiliser. Some are also reported to have antibacterial properties.

quick facts
Each blade 3-4cm in diameter, seasonally abundant in rock pools

See also ...
Seaweeds in general

Links
Padina pavonea on Life on Australian Seashores by Keith Davey on the Marine Education Society of Australia website: Fact sheet on a Padina sp. found in Australia.

Other references

Trono, G. C. Jr., 1997. Field Guide and Atlas of the Seaweed Resources of the Philippines. Bookmark, Inc., the Philippines. 306 pp.
Calumpong, H. P. & Menez, E. G., 1997. Field Guide to the Common Mangroves, Seagrasses and Algae of the Philippines. Bookmark, Inc., the Philippines. 197 pp.
Davey, Keith, 1998. A Photographic Guide to Seashore Life of Australia. New Holland, Australia.144 pp.
Tan, Leo W. H. & Ng, Peter K. L., 1988. A Guide to Seashore Life. The Singapore Science Centre, Singapore. 160 pp. online version
Chuang, S. H., 1961, On Malayan Shores. Muwu Shosa, Singapore.225 pp., plates 1-112.

a companion website to the chek jawa guidebook website©ria tan 2003 www.wildsingapore.com

a companion website to the chek jawa guidebook
website©ria tan 2003 www.wildsingapore.com