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Botanical Name: Chondrus crispus (STACKH.)
Family: N.O. Algae/Gigartinaceae
Kingdom: Archaeplastida
Phylum: Rhodophyta
Class: Rhodophyceae
Order: Gigartinales
Genus: Chondrus
Species: C. crispus
Synonyms: Carrageen. Chondrus. Carrahan.
Names in various languages:-
English : Irish moss, pearl moss, carrageen moss, seamuisin, curly moss, curly gristle moss, Dorset weed, jelly moss, sea moss, white wrack
French :  petit goémon, mousse d’Irlande, lichen (carraghèen), goémon frisé, goémon blanc, goémon rouge, mousse perlée
Breton pioka, liken ruz, teil piko, bouch, bouchounoù, bejin behan, bejin gwenn, bouch farad youd, bouch gad, bouch gwenn, jargod, ougnachou-ru, teles, tilez
Scottish (Gaelic) :  cairgin, carragheen, killeen, mathair an diulisg
Irish carraigín, fiadháin, clúimhín caitcarraigín, fiadháin, clúimhín cait
Welsh : mwsog Iwerddon
Faroese: Karrageentari
Turkish: karragen
Polish : chrz?stnica, chrz??cica
Portuguese: musgo gordo, folha de alface, folhina, botelho crespo
Italian: muschio irlandese
Galician : ouca riza, carrapucho, creba, pata de galiña
Spanish : musgo de Irlanda, musgo perlado, musgo marino, carrageen, liquen
German ; Knorpeltang, Carrageen, Irländischer Perltang, Irländisches Moos, Karragaheen, Perlmoos
Swedish: karragenalg (karragentång)
Norwegian: krusflik, driesflik, gelatintang
Danish : Carrageentang, Blomkålstang, Irlandsk mos
Dutch: Iers mos
Icelandic: Fjörugrös
Japanese: hirakotoji, tochaka, tsunomata

Part Used: Plant, dried.
Habitat: Irish Moss is common all around the shores of Ireland and Great Britain and can also be found along the coast of Europe including Iceland, the Faroe Islands western Baltic Sea to southern Spain. It is found on the Atlantic coasts of Canada and recorded from California in the United States to Japan. However, any distribution outside the Northern Atlantic needs to be verified. There are also other species of the same genus in the Pacific Ocean, for example, C. ocellatus Holmes, C. nipponicus Yendo, C. yendoi Yamada et Mikami, C. pinnulatus (Harvey) Okamura and C. armatus (Harvey) Yamada et Mikami.

Common at low tide on all the shores of the North Atlantic. but remarkable for its extreme variability, the difference being mainly due to the great diversity in the width of the segments.

Description:
A perennial thallophyte.Irish Moss is a relatively small red alga little more than 20 cm long growing from a discoid holdfast and branching four or five times in a dichotomous, fan-like manner. The morphology is very variable, especially the broadness of the thalli. The branches are 2 – 15 mm broad, firm in texture and dark reddish brown in colour bleaching to yellowish in sunlight. The gametophytes    often show a blue iridescence and fertile sporophytes show a spotty pattern. Mastocarpus stellatus (Stackhouse) Guiry is a similar species which can be readily distinguished by its strongly channelled and often somewhat twisted thallus. The cystocarpic plants of Mastocarpus show reproductive papillae quite distinctively different from Chondrus. When washed and sun-dried for preservation it has a yellowish translucent horn-like aspect and consistency.
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Life history
Chondrus crispus undergoes an alternation of generation life cycle common in many species of algae (see figure below). There are two distinct stages: the sexual haploid gametophyte stage and the asexual diploid sporophyte stage. In addition there is a third stage- the carposporophyte, which is formed on the female gametophyte after fertilization. The male and female gametophytes produce gametes which fuse to form a diploid carposporophyte, which forms carpospores, which develops into the sporophyte. The sporophyte then undergoes meiosis to produce haploid tetraspores (which can be male or female) that develop into gametophytes. The three stages (male, female and sporophyte) are difficult to distinguish when they are not fertile; however, the gametophytes often show a blue iridescence.

Constituents: It contains a large amount of mucilage with the presence of a big percentage of sulphur compounds.

Uses:
Irish Moss is a source of carrageenan, which is commonly used as a thickener and stabilizer[5] in milk products such as ice cream[6] and processed foods including lunch meat. In Europe it is indicated as E407 or E407b. It may also be used as a thickener in calico-printing and for fining beer or wine. Irish moss is frequently mixed with Mastocarpus stellatus (Gigartina mammillosa), Chondracanthus acicularis (G. acicularis) and other seaweeds with which it is associated in growth. Carrageenan and agar-agar are also used in Asia for gelatin-like desserts such as almond jelly. Presently the major source of carrageenan is tropical seaweeds of the genera Kappaphycus and Eucheuma.

Irish moss is also used to make a beverage popular in the Caribbean. The beverage is made by boiling the Irish moss for about an hour in water. A flavouring, such as vanilla or strawberry, may be added, and finally milk or sweetened condensed milk, rum and spices are added. It is usually served chilled, is very thick and is sometimes thought to have aphrodisiac qualities, and a cure for male impotence. It is also now available ready made, tinned. The Irish Moss used in the Caribbean is most often Gracilaria spp.

In parts of Scotland, where it is known as (An) Cairgean in Scottish Gaelic, it is boiled in milk and strained, before sugar and other flavourings such as vanilla, cinnamon, brandy or whisky are added. The end-product is a kind of jelly similar to tapioca or blancmange.

Irish moss is commonly used as a clarifying agent in the process of brewing (beer), particularly in homebrewing. A small amount is boiled with the wort, attracting proteins and other solids, which is then removed from the mixture after cooling.

Medicinal Action and Uses: Demulcent, emollient, nutritive. A popular remedy made into a jelly for pulmonary complaints and kidney and bladder affections. Can be combined with cocoa. The decoction is made by steeping 1/2 OZ. of the Moss in cold water for 15 minutes and then boiling it in 3 pints of milk or water for 10 or 15 minutes, after which it is strained and seasoned with liquorice, lemon or cinnamon and sweetened to taste. It can be taken freely.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mosiri53.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chondrus_crispus

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