Caulerpa

Caulerpa is a genus of about 101 species of green seaweed found in shallow tropical and temperate waters down to depths of about 100 meters, with its greatest diversity in the Caribbean, the Indo-Malay region and southern Australia. Each individual consists of a single cell with many nuclei, making Caulerpa species among the largest single cells in the world, anchored by root-like rhizoids with upright leaf-like or branched structures; the genus produces the pigment alkaloid caulerpin, which contributes to its toxicity and peppery taste, though some species such as Caulerpa lentillifera are eaten as sea grapes in Asian cuisine.