Chondracanthus exasperatus
| Chondracanthus exasperatus | |
|---|---|
| Turkish towel | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Clade: | Archaeplastida |
| Division: | Rhodophyta |
| Class: | Florideophyceae |
| Order: | Gigartinales |
| Family: | Gigartinaceae |
| Genus: | Chondracanthus |
| Species: | C. exasperatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Chondracanthus exasperatus | |
| Synonyms | |
Chondracanthus exasperatus, commonly called Turkish towel, is a species of seaweed in the family Gigartinaceae. The specific epithet exasperatus (lit. 'roughened') refers to the bumpy texture of the blades (leaf-like structures). This texture also leads to the common name which evokes the luxurious feel of a towel from a Turkish bath. The rough, papillae-strewn blade surface even makes it difficult to measure the temperature using infrared thermometers.