MARCH/APRIL 2000

Dulse or oceanic hair. "...This dark, slimy, slippery and viscous mass onto which my child's foot had accidentally stepped, and quickly retrieved; had left me with a lasting unpleasant impression. What could those plants be useful for? Those plants that came to spoil my impression of fine and clear sand?..." (Saury, A. In Les algues, source de vie.1982) It is such a singular relation that we entertain with our lady the sea and even more curiously, those relations that we have established for centuries with what I like to call the sea's "hair": seaweed. At first glance, we have the image of a dark and rather repulsive mass. But, with a closer look, we find a fascinating marine plant with a saline odour. Its uses are as numerous as essential. Found under the limits of the highest tides, seaweed populates almost exclusively the marine shore. They serve many roles. They support their environmental food chain, serve as habitat, as food, as shelter for many organisms. So we can appreciate their importance. Dulse , cow or cattle wrack (common name) is only one seaweed variety amongst 25000 species presently listed. In fact, its scientific name is Rhodymenia palmata. It belongs to the family of Rhodophyceous or to the family of the Rhodymenaceous. Morphologically, this seaweed specie is between 20 to 30 centimetres in length, but sometimes reaches 40 centimetres in height. It has a thallus shape (a vegetative apparel without stem nor true leaf) and its colour is reddish brown or purplish red. It widens progressively and takes on a palmed, membranous form presenting more or less deep tears which is fixed at its base by a disk. This red seaweed lives on the rocks of mediolittoral shores, which are uncovered at normal low tides. Its geographic distribution spreads on the coasts of the Manche, the Atlantic ocean, Greenland and of France. We can also find it in the Saint-Laurence estuary. It is interesting to note that Rhodymenia palmata served since the beginning of Antiquity to feed cattle, particularly for inhabitants of the European coasts. Since very old times, farmers close to the littoral have benefited from this marvellous fertiliser called dulse. In fact, the coastal populations gathered and are still gathering it, in its form of dulse-wreck, which corresponds to the detached seaweed that gather on the shores. Today, we use this seaweed in flour, powders or concentrated liquids that we incorporate directly in the soil at springtime or in compost, which facilitates its uses and effectiveness. Rodomenia palmata was also consumed by humans in times of famine. Then it was consumed by habit. In fact, this seaweed is still largely consumed in Scotland, Ireland but mainly in Iceland where it is known as Söl. Where it is prepared in milk drinks, in lemon flavoured oils, in jellies or coated in sugar. Canadians from Nova-Scotia and Americans from Maine and Massachusetts eat in dry form, sold under the name of Dulse. It is appreciated as an appetiser by beer drinkers. Many benefits are associated with it. It improves our nutrition, our health and our beauty naturally. It is considered the corner stone of vitality and super food due to its richness in oligo-elements and to its virtues. Amongst many curative virtues, lets remember that Dulse acts effectively on the thyroid gland, by reducing its dilation. This aquatic plant is also effective in the treatment of hands and feet frosts. It also serves for shakiness. It has a certain control on anxiety. It prevents breast, uterus and ovarian fibroids. When in excess, it controls the blood calcium level. It is beneficial for hair, skin and nail growth. Finally, Dulse acts in the reduction of swollen masses or hypertrophies of the intestinal region. Seaweed were truly the first living beings on our planet and it is almost certain that without them, our planet would still be void of animal or plant life. We can say that seaweed is definitely our furthest ancestor and that they constitute a vast plant universe. It has inspired many poets with its world. Happily, nowadays, the medical field is considering its curative virtues and recognises more and more its polyvalent uses. Kathia Roy Bibliography: : - DONADIEU, Yves (Docteur de la Faculté de Médecine de Paris). La santé par les algues. Édition MA. , Coll. Aide-Nature. 1986. - SAURY, Alain. Les algues, source de vie. Les multiples utilisations des algues, en médecine, diététique, industrie, élevage et agriculture. Édition Dangles., Coll. Santé naturelle. 1982. - PÉRÈS, Jean-Marie. La vie dans l'océan. Éditions du Seuil., Coll. Microcosme. 1966. - LECLERC, Rachel. Guide d'identification des algues marines de l'estuaire du Saint-Laurent. In: Groupe d'animation en science naturelle du Québec . 1987.