About Gloiopeltis furcata (Postels & Ruprecht) J.Agardh
Gloiopeltis furcata (Postels & Ruprecht) J.Agardh, commonly called glueweed, jelly moss, and fukuro-funori in Japan, is a species of marine alga. It is widely distributed across the North Pacific Ocean, found along the shorelines of China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and the Pacific coast of Russia, as well as ranging from the Aleutian Islands south to Baja California. This alga has a long history of use as a food source in Asia. It is also used as a sizing material for silk and other textiles, and serves as a raw material for textile binders. Research studies have found that extracts from G. furcata inhibit the growth of multiple human cancer cell lines, and can significantly reduce blood glucose levels. The thallus of G. furcata ranges in color from reddish brown to golden yellow, and grows up to 5 centimeters (2 inches) tall. When dry, the alga appears black. Its cylindrical branches have a smooth texture. The species has a perennial basal crust that produces a new set of branches each year. Gloiopeltis furcata grows abundantly in the mid to high intertidal zone of rocky coasts, colonizing the tops and sides of rocks and rocky ledges. It is very similar in appearance and use to two other species in the same genus, Gloiopeltis tenax and Gloiopeltis complanata. All three species are grown, harvested, and often used interchangeably. G. furcata is commercially harvested in China and Japan.
