This is really interesting. So is algae an animal, or an animal cross plant? Dee
-------Original Message------- From: bob Larson Date: 15/07/2008 01:41:04 To: silver-list@eskimo.com Subject: RE: CS>Kelp versus spirulina- algae lessons yeah, but strangely it's an algae also from wiki: Kelp are large seaweeds (algae), belonging to the brown algae and classified in the order Laminariales. Despite their appearance, some scientists group them not with the terrestrial plants (kingdom Plantae), but instead place them either in kingdom Protista or in kingdom Chromista. There are about 30 different genera. Kelp grows in underwater forests (kelp forests) in clear, shallow oceans, requiring nutrient-rich water below about 20 °C (68 °F). It is known for its high growth rate the genus Macrocystis and Nereocystis luetkeana grow as fast as half a metre a day, ultimately reaching 30 to 80 m [1] Through the 19th century, the word "kelp" was closely associated with seaweeds that could be burned to obtain soda ash (primarily sodium carbonate). The seaweeds used included species from both the orders Laminariales and Fucales. The word "kelp" was also used directly to refer to these processed ashes.[2]