A pile of bladder wrack
Approximately 800 species of seaweed can be found around Found along the coast of Britain. The bladder wrack is one of the commonest. It varies in colour from dark brown to almost orange-green. It can be recognised by its bubble shaped air bladders along the length of its fronds. When covered by water the bladders keep the fronds upright so they can catch more sunlight. It was used extensively to treat goitre, a swelling of the thyroid gland related to iodine deficiency. In the 1860s, it was claimed that bladder wrack, as a thyroid stimulant, could counter obesity by increasing the metabolic rate and, since then, it has been featured in numerous weight-loss remedies.
Size: 5201px × 3467px
Location: England
Photo credit: © Brian Perry / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: air, beach, black, bladder, bladders, bubble, coast, cut, dark-brown, fronds, fucus, iodine, oak, plant, rock, rockweed, sea, sea-shore, seaside, shape, tang, tany, unwanted, vesiculosus, weed, wrack
