  the sea lettuces comprise the genus ulva, a group of edible green algae that is widely distributed along the coasts of the world's oceans. the type species within the genus ulva is ulva lactuca, lactuca being latin for "lettuce". the genus also includes the species previously classified under the genus enteromorpha, the former members of which are known under the common name green nori. individual blades of ulva can grow to be more than 400mm (16") in size, but this only occurs when the plants are growing in sheltered areas. ==genetics== there are some indications that this genus is of tropical in origin. in an extensive phylogeographical assessment of this genus conducted in india revealed a strong endemism, irrespective of thallus characteristics, viz., branched or unbranched. previously, branched tubular ulva was grouped under ulva compressa, and unbranched under ulva intestinalis. as per uniqueness of otus, a new endemic species irrespective of the thallus branching characteristics had been formally established as ulva paschima bast.1. bast, f., john, a.a. and bhushan, s. 2014. strong endemism of bloom-forming tubular ulva in indian west coast, with description of ulva paschima sp. nov. (ulvales, chlorophyta. plos one 9(10): e109295. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109295 in tropics, diversity of ulva is so much higher than that in temperate or sub-polar regions. ==nutrition== sea lettuce is eaten by a number of different sea animals, incl
Sea_vegetables Ulvophyceae