Lessonia nigrescens, the grey weed or giant grey weed, is a South American kelp species in the genus Lessonia.

Lessonia nigrescens
Lessonia nigrescens at El Quisco beach, Chile
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Stramenopiles
Phylum: Gyrista
Subphylum: Ochrophytina
Class: Phaeophyceae
Order: Laminariales
Family: Lessoniaceae
Genus: Lessonia
Species:
L. nigrescens
Binomial name
Lessonia nigrescens

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]

Illustration from "Nordisk familjebok".

References

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  1. ^ Micropopulation differentiation in phenol content and susceptibility to herbivory in the Chilean kelp Lessonia nigrescenss (Phaeophyta, Laminariales). Enrique A. Martínez, Hydrobiologia, July 1996, Volume 326-327, Issue 1, pages 205-211, doi:10.1007/BF00047808
  2. ^ Induction of Phlorotannins During UV Exposure Mitigates Inhibition of Photosynthesis and DNA Damage in the Kelp Lessonia nigrescens. Ivan Gómez and Pirjo Huovinen, Photochemistry and Photobiology, September/October 2010, Volume 86, Issue 5, pages 1056–1063, doi:10.1111/j.1751-1097.2010.00786.x
  3. ^ Inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth by saringosterol from Lessonia nigrescens. Wächter Gerald A, Franzblau Scott G, Montenegro Gloria, Hoffmann Joseph J, Maiese William M and Timmermann Barbara N, Journal of Natural Products, 2001, volume 64, number 11, pages 1463-1464, INIST 14134197
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