Fucus

/ˈfjuːkəs/ noun

Definition

A genus of brown seaweeds or rockweeds found in coastal waters, commonly known as bladder wrack.

Etymology

From Latin fucus, originally meaning seaweed or paint/cosmetic. The genus was formally named by Linnaeus in the 18th century, becoming the scientific name for these common coastal algae.

Kelly Says

Fucus vesiculosus, the most common species, has been used as food, medicine, and fertilizer for centuries—ancient peoples would harvest it from beaches, and it was so valued that kings taxed seaweed harvests.

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