Lithothamnion

Lithothamnion; Temporal range: Cretaceous–Recent PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
	L. glaciale showing conceptacles. Millimetre scale
Scientific classification
Clade:	Archaeplastida
Division:	Rhodophyta
Class:	Florideophyceae
Order:	Corallinales
Family:	Hapalidiaceae
Genus:	Lithothamnion ; Heydrich, 1897

Last updated April 11, 2025

Lithothamnion is a genus of thalloid red alga comprising 103 species. Its members are known by a number of common names.^{[note 1]} The monomerous, crustose thalli are composed of a single system of filaments which grow close to the underlying surface. Lithothamnion reproduces by means of multiporate conceptacles.

Species

The valid species currently considered to belong to this genus are:

L. album
L. antarcticum
L. apiculatum
L. asperulatum
L. aucklandicum
L. australe
L. brasiliense
L. breviaxe
L. calcareum
L. californicum
L. capense
L. carolii
L. chathamense
L. circumscriptum
L. colliculosum
L. corallioides
L. coralloides
L. cottonii
L. coulmanicum
L. crispatum
L. dehiscens
L. diguetii
L. ectocarpon
L. elegans
L. engelhartii
L. esperi
L. expansum
L. flavescens
L. fornicatum
L. fragiissimum
L. fruticulosum
L. fuegianum
L. geppiorum
L. gibbosum
L. giganteum
L. glaciale
L. grade
L. grande
L. granuliferum
L. guadalupense
L. hamelii
L. haptericola
L. hauckii
L. heterocladum
L. heteromorphum
L. incrustans
L. indicum
L. insigne
L. intermedium
L. islei
L. japonicum
L. kerguelenum
L. labradorense
L. lacroixi
L. laminosum
L. lemoineae
L. magnum
L. maldivicum
L. mangini
L. margaritae
L. marlothii
L. minervae
L. montereyicum
L. muelleri
L. murmanicum
L. neglectum
L. nitidum
L. nodulosum
L. norvegicum
L. notarisii
L. novae-zelandiae
L. occidentale
L. pacificum
L. pauciporosum
L. peleense
L. peruviense
L. philippii
L. phymatodeum
L. pocillum
L. polymorphum
L. praefruticulosum
L. proliferum
L. propontidis
L. rugosum
L. ruptile
L. scabiosum
L. sejunctum
L. sonderi
L. soriferum
L. spissum
L. squarrulosum
L. tenue
L. thelostegium
L. tophiforme
L. tusterense
L. ungeri
L. valens
L. validum
L. van
L. vanheurckii
L. vescum
L. volcanum

Uses

The species Lithothamnium calcareum is, besides Tricalcium phosphate, often used as food fortification in plant-based milk substitutes to achieve a similar calcium content as a cow milk which is around 120 mg/100 ml.^[2] However, in April 2021 the European Court of Justice forbade its use in organic food products such as drinks.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Notes

↑ Recorded common names are griuán, maërl, punalevä-suku, stenhinna and maerl.

References

Guiry, M.D.; Guiry, G.M. (2008). "Lithothamnion". AlgaeBase . World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. Retrieved 2009-04-18.

↑ Taylor, Thomas N; Taylor, Edith L; Krings, Michael (2009). Paleobotany: the biology and evolution of fossil plants. ISBN 978-0-12-373972-8.
↑ Klapp, Anna-Lena, ed. (October 2019), "OTHER PLANT MILKS", The Plant Milk Report, Berlin: ProVeg e. V., p. 16, ISBN 978-3-948516-00-0 , retrieved 2021-03-02
↑ EU Court Forbids Calcium Sourced From Algae in Organic Drinks (Courthouse News Service)
↑ Important European Court of Justice decision on adding non-organic ingredients to organic drinks (The National Law Review)
↑ EU law prohibits the addition of the alga Lithothamnium calcareum in the processing of organic foodstuffs for the purpose of their enrichment with calcium (Case C-815/19) (ECJ)
↑ Full text of judgment in case C-815/19 (ECJ)

External links

Images of Lithothamnion at Algaebase

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[2] Recorded common names are griuán, maërl, punalevä-suku, stenhinna and maerl.

[1] Taylor, Thomas N; Taylor, Edith L; Krings, Michael (2009). Paleobotany: the biology and evolution of fossil plants. ISBN 978-0-12-373972-8.

[3] Klapp, Anna-Lena, ed. (October 2019), "OTHER PLANT MILKS", The Plant Milk Report, Berlin: ProVeg e. V., p. 16, ISBN 978-3-948516-00-0 , retrieved 2021-03-02

[4] EU Court Forbids Calcium Sourced From Algae in Organic Drinks (Courthouse News Service)

[5] Important European Court of Justice decision on adding non-organic ingredients to organic drinks (The National Law Review)

[6] EU law prohibits the addition of the alga Lithothamnium calcareum in the processing of organic foodstuffs for the purpose of their enrichment with calcium (Case C-815/19) (ECJ)

[7] Full text of judgment in case C-815/19 (ECJ)

[1]

[note 1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

Lithothamnion Temporal range: Cretaceous–Recent^[1] PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N

L. glaciale showing conceptacles. Millimetre scale
Scientific classification
Clade:	Archaeplastida
Division:	Rhodophyta
Class:	Florideophyceae
Order:	Corallinales
Family:	Hapalidiaceae
Genus:	Lithothamnion Heydrich, 1897