Limu (algae)
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Limu, otherwise known as rimu, remu or ʻimu (from Proto-Austronesian *limut)[1] is a general Polynesian term for edible plants living near or underwater, such as algae.[2][3] In Hawaii, there are approximately one hundred names for kinds of limu, sixty of which can be matched with scientific names.[4] Hundreds of species of marine algae were once found in Hawaii.[5] Many limu are edible, and used in the cuisine throughout most of Polynesia.
Uses
[edit | edit source]Several species of limu are used as food throughout Polynesia and is typically eaten raw as accompaniment to meals, usually fish.
In Hawaii, limu was seen as a major component of the Hawaiian diet alongside fish and poi.[6] Hawaiians cultivated several varieties of seaweed for food as well as to feed fish farmed within fish ponds. As many as 75 types of limu were used for food, more than the 35 used in Japanese cuisine, which is also well known for its use of seaweed.[5] In modern times, limu is often used as a condiment, typically in raw fish dishes such as poke.[7]
Limu was used in hoʻoponopono, the ancient Hawaiian process of conflict resolution. Injured and accused parties gathered to pray, seek forgiveness and eat limu kala leaves as a symbol of reconciliation.[7][8] It is also used in traditional hula attire[9] and as medicine.[10]
Due to the shape of its foliage, the Maori also applied the name rimu to the native tree Dacrydium cupressinum.[2]
Types
[edit | edit source]Limu comes from multiple genera[6]
Cook Islands
[edit | edit source]| Image | English name | Indigenous name | Description and use |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Turbinaria ornata (Australia).jpg | Crowned sea bells (Turbinaria ornata) | Remu taratara (Rarotonga and Mauke), Rimu taratara (Aitutaki), Limu (Pukapuka)[11] | |
| File:Sargassum - 1.jpg | Double-edge sargassum (Sargassum aquifolium) | Rimu akau[12] | |
| File:Hydroclathrus sp.jpg | Open-sponge seaweed (Hydroclathrus clathratus) | Remu oma (Rarotonga)[13] | |
| File:Sargassum - 1.jpg | Sargassum obtusifolium (Sargassum obtusifolium) | Remu ʻūmoemoe (Rarotonga)[14] | |
| File:Caulerpa racemosa.jpg | Sea grapes (Caulerpa racemosa) | Remu kai (Rarotonga and Mauke), Remu kōnini (Mangaia), Rimu kai (Aitutaki)[15] | |
| File:Padina boryana.JPG | Turkeytail seaweed (Padina boryana) | Remu taʻiriʻiri (Rarotonga)[16] |
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Easter Island
[edit | edit source]| Image | English name | Indigenous name | Description and use |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Dictyopteris membranacea herbarium item.jpg | Dictyopteris australis (Dictyopteris australis) | Auke | |
| File:Sargassum - 1.jpg | Sargassum obtusifolium (Sargassum obtusifolium) | Miritoni |
French Polynesia
[edit | edit source]| Image | English name | Indigenous name | Description and use |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Caulerpa cupressoides in Harvey 1858.JPG | Cactus tree alga (Caulerpa cupressoides) | Mamaʻga (Rapan) | [17] |
| Chnoospora minima (Chnoospora minima) | Imu keikei aoa (Marquesan) | [18] | |
| File:Cladophora.JPG | Cladophora patentiramea (Cladophora patentiramea) | Imu ouoho (Marquesan) | [18] |
| File:Gracilaria sp.jpg | Gracilaria (Gracilaria) | Remu ʻura (Tahitian) | |
| File:Ulva flexuosa subsp. paradoxa Crouan.jpg | Grass kelp (Enteromorpha flexuosa) | Imu vai (Marquesan) | [18] |
| File:Codium arabicum.jpg | Green sea cushion (Codium arabicum) | Imu tutae kioe (Marquesan) | [18] |
| File:Caulerpa racemosa.jpg | Sea grapes (Caulerpa racemosa) | ʻonini (Tahitian), Imu topua (Marquesan), Remu vine (Austral), Konini (Rapan) | [18] |
| File:Sea lettuce in Brofjorden 1 - cropped.jpg | Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) | Rimu miti (Tahitian), Imu kokuu (Marquesan) | [18] |
Hawaii
[edit | edit source]| Image | English name | Indigenous name | Description and use |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Codium sp..jpg | Antler seaweed (Codium reediae) | Limu aʻalaʻula | |
| File:Codium sp.jpg | Branched sea cushion (Codium edule) | Limu wawaeʻiole | Meaning "rat's foot seaweed" |
| File:Ulva sp Jurmo24072018.jpg | Branched string lettuce (Ulva prolifera) | Limu ʻeleʻele | |
| File:FMIB 52480 Champia parvula, magnified.jpeg | Champia (Champia) | Limu ʻoʻolu | Meaning "thin seaweed". Shares its name to the similarly used species Chondria tenuissima. |
| File:Chondria-capillaris-19980602b.jpg | Chondria tenuissima (Chondria tenuissima) | Limu ʻoʻolu | Meaning "thin seaweed". Shares its name to the similarly used Champia seaweeds. |
| File:Chylocladia kaliformis.jpg | Chylocladia (Chylocladia) | Limu akuila, Limu kihe | |
| File:Turbinaria ornata (Australia).jpg | Crowned sea bells (Turbinaria ornata) | Limu kahili | |
| File:Dictyopteris membranacea herbarium item.jpg | Dictyopteris (Dictyopteris) | Limu lipoa | Meaning "seaweed gathered from the deep" referring to its habitat of growing in deep water. The species Dictyopteris australis and Dictyopteris plagiogramma were gathered as food. |
| File:Dictyota dichotoma 43980064.jpg | Dictyota (Dictyota) | Limu alani | Meaning "bitter seaweed" |
| File:Sargassum - 1.jpg | Double-edge sargassum (Sargassum aquifolium) | Limu kala | Meaning "forgiving seaweed" employed during hoʻoponopono. |
| File:FMIB 53642 Rhodophycees ou Floridees (Algues rouges) Grateloupia filicina (Wulf) J Ag.jpeg | Grateloupia filicina (Grateloupia filicina) | Limu huluhuluwaena | or "pubic hair") – favorite of Liliʻuokalani.[8] |
| File:Gelidium sp.jpg | Gelidium (Gelidium) | Limu loloa | Meaning "long or slender seaweed"[5] |
| File:Griffithsia corallinoides Crouan.jpg | Griffithsia (Griffithsia) | Moʻopunaakalīpoa, Moʻopuna | |
| File:Gymnogongrus torulosus (Hook.f. and Harv.) Schmitz (AM AK295286-1).jpg | Gymnogongrus (Gymnogongrus) | Limu koele | Meaning "dry or hard seaweed"[5] |
| File:Halymenia floresii.jpg | Halymenia formosa (Halymenia formosa) | Lepelepe-o-Hina | shawl of the goddess Hina. Shares its name with a native butterfly and a family of nudibranchs.[8] |
| File:Laurencia Aquarium of the Pacific.jpg | Laurencia nidifica (Laurencia nidifica) | Limu maneʻoneʻo | |
| File:Purple Laver (Porphyra umbilicalis) - Oslo, Norway 2020-08-12 (03).jpg | Laver (Porphyra) | Limu luau, Lipaheʻe | |
| File:Martensia spp, Bittangabee Bay, Beowa National Park NSW.jpg | Martensia fragilis (Martensia fragilis) | Limu haʻula | |
| File:Gracilaria sp.jpg | Ogo (Gracilaria coronopifolia) | Limu manauea | cooked with meats to form a savory jelly. Later diced raw with poke, mixed with chili and salt.[8] |
| File:Polysiphonia sp. - Stavanger, Norway 2021-08-03.jpg | Polysiphonia (Polysiphonia) | Limu hāwane | |
| File:Asparagopsis taxiformis Réunion 2 cropped.JPG | Red sea plume (Asparagopsis taxiformis) | Limu kohu | Meaning "supreme seaweed" |
| File:Unidentified Valonia - Kew 3.jpg | Sailor’s eye (Valonia utricularis) | Limu lipuʻupuʻu | |
| File:Sea lettuce in Brofjorden 1 - cropped.jpg | Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) | Limu palahalaha, Pakaiea | named after a shark god who was swaddled in its silken leaves.[8][19] used in hula[20] |
| File:FMIB 53610 Rhodophycees ou Floridees (Algues rouges) Ceramiees, Spyridia filamentosa (Wulf) J Ag.jpeg | Spyridia spinella (Spyridia spinella) | Limu hulu puaʻa | |
| File:Hypnea flexuosa A.C.Brown and N.Jarman (AM AK307804-2).jpg | Tattered sea moss (Hypnea) | Limu hina | |
| File:Ahnfeltiopsis linearis 8649974.jpg | Tuffed seaweed (Ahnfeltiopsis concinna) | Limu ʻakiʻaki |
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New Zealand
[edit | edit source]| Image | English name | Indigenous name | Description and use |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Caulerpa geminata Harv. (AM AK304895).jpg | Bubble caulerpa (Caulerpa sedoides) | Rimurimu | |
| File:Turkish towel (Gigartina) (3266060874).jpg | Carrageenan weed (Gigartina) | Rehia, Rimurehia | |
| File:Clymene coleana.jpg | Clymene (Clymene) | Karengo, Kareko, Parengo, Reporepo | |
| File:Zostera.jpg | Eelgrass (Zostera) | Karepō, Nana | |
| File:Gracilaria sp.jpg | Gracilaria (Gracilaria) | ||
| File:Sanc0063 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg | Kelp (Laminariales) | Pakake, Pakaka | |
| File:Purple Laver (Porphyra umbilicalis) - Oslo, Norway 2020-08-12 (03).jpg | Laver (Porphyra) | Karengo, Kareko, Parengo, Reporepo | Originally, Karengo was used to describe seaweed belonging to the Porphyra genus. Recent genomic analysis however has Karengo cover more than 30 species belonging to genus Porphyra, Pyropia, Clymene and Lysithea. |
| Lysithea (Lysithea) | Karengo, Kareko, Parengo, Reporepo | ||
| File:Neptune's Necklace (Hormosira banksii) (49918991983).jpg | Neptune’s necklace (Hormosira banksii) | Koiri | |
| File:Sea lettuce in Brofjorden 1 - cropped.jpg | Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca) | Rimu kaikai | |
| File:Caulerpa brownii.jpeg | Sea rimu (Caulerpa brownii) | Rimurimu | |
| File:Durvillea antarctica.JPG | Southern bull kelp (Durvillaea) | Rimurapa, Rimuroa, Kōauau | |
| File:Pyropia sp. - Kristiansand, Norway 2021-08-12.jpg | Southern laver (Pyropia) | Karengo, Kareko, Parengo, Reporepo |
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Niue
[edit | edit source]| Image | English name | Indigenous name | Description and use |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Caulerpa cupressoides in Harvey 1858.JPG | Cactus tree alga (Caulerpa cupressoides) | Limu tahi | |
| File:Caulerpa racemosa.jpg | Sea grapes (Caulerpa racemosa) | Limu fua |
Samoa
[edit | edit source]| Image | English name | Indigenous name | Description and use |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Turbinaria ornata (Australia).jpg | Crowned sea bells (Turbinaria ornata) | Limu lautalatala | |
| File:Gracilaria sp.jpg | Gracilaria (Gracilaria) | Limu aau | |
| File:Halymenia floresii.jpg | Halymenia (Halymenia) | A ʻau | |
| File:Sargassum - 1.jpg | Sargassum (Sargassum) | Limu vavoa | |
| File:Caulerpa racemosa.jpg | Sea grapes (Caulerpa racemosa) | Fuafua | |
| File:Padina boryana.JPG | Turkeytail seaweed (Padina boryana) | Limu lautaliga |
Tonga
[edit | edit source]| Image | English name | Indigenous name | Description and use |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Caulerpa cupressoides in Harvey 1858.JPG | Cactus tree alga (Caulerpa cupressoides) | Kaka | [21] |
| File:FMIB 38401 Castagnea zosterae.jpeg | Cladosiphon (Cladosiphon) | Tangaʻu | [21] |
| File:Caulerpa cf peltata.jpg | Flat-top sea grape (Caulerpa peltata) | Fuofua | [21] |
| File:Caulerpa sertularioides.jpg | Green feather algae (Caulerpa sertularioides) | Louniu, Louango, Tuʻaniu | [21] |
| File:Hypnea flexuosa A.C.Brown and N.Jarman (AM AK307804-2).jpg | Hypnea charoides (Hypnea charoides) | Limu vai | [21] |
| File:Caulerpa scalpelliformis 254298193.jpg | Scalpel green seaweed (Caulerpa scalpelliformis) | Palalafa | [21] |
| File:Caulerpa racemosa.jpg | Sea grapes (Caulerpa racemosa) | Toke, Fuofua, Alako, Teʻemoa, Teʻepuaka | [21] |
| File:The green seaweed, Caulerpa serrulata, at Ponta do Ouro, Mozambique (6661104601).jpg | Serrated green seaweed (Caulerpa serrulata) | Kaka | [21] |
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Tuvalu
[edit | edit source]| Image | English name | Indigenous name | Description and use |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Caulerpa racemosa.jpg | Sea grapes (Caulerpa racemosa) | Limu pukupuku |
Threats
[edit | edit source]Limu has become increasingly difficult to find because of over-picking, pollution, and urban development,[22] especially construction in watersheds. Many important kinds of limu grow best in brackish water where fresh water empties into the sea. Another threat to limu is the spread of marine alien invasive species, such as members of the genus Kappaphycus (smothering seaweed), Gracilaria salicornia (gorilla ogo), Avrainvillea amadelpha (leather mudweed), Hypnea musciformis (hook weed) and Acanthophora spicifera (prickly seaweed).[23]
See also
[edit | edit source]Further reading
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References
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External links
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