| Durvillaea potatorum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Durvillaea potatorum off Eaglehawk Neck, Australia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Clade: | Sar |
| Clade: | Stramenopiles |
| Division: | Ochrophyta |
| Class: | Phaeophyceae |
| Order: | Fucales |
| Family: | Durvillaeaceae |
| Genus: | Durvillaea |
| Species: | D. potatorum |
| Binomial name | |
| Durvillaea potatorum | |
Durvillaea potatorum is a large, robust species of southern bull kelp found in Australia. [1]
The species can be confused with Durvillaea amatheiae , which has an overlapping geographic distribution. [1] [2] D. potatorum has a shorter, wider stipe with more limited lateral blade development, whereas D. amatheiae has a shorter, narrow stipe and typically prolific lateral blade development. [1] [2]
Durvillaea potatorum is endemic to southeast Australia. [1] [2]
Durvillaea potatorum was used extensively for clothing and tools by Aboriginal Tasmanians, with uses including material for shoes and bags to transport freshwater and food. [3] [4] The Aboriginal Peoples of Tasmania continue to collect and use bull kelp for cultural purposes; it is a cultural keystone species. Currently, D. potatorum is collected as beach wrack from King Island, where it is then dried as chips and sent to Scotland for phycocolloid extraction. [5]
