dulse, (Palmaria palmata), edible red alga (Rhodophyta) found along the rocky northern coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Dulse can be eaten fresh or dried. In traditional dishes, it is boiled with milk and rye flour or made into a relish and is commonly served with fish and butter. The gelatinous substance contained in dulse is a thickening agent and imparts a reddish colour to the food with which it is mixed. The seaweed is said to be more nutritionally dense than most leafy green vegetables and is a good source of iodine, iron, vitamin B6, and potassium, though it is high in sodium.
Fresh dulse has the texture of thin rubber and consists of numerous flattened fronds; both the amount of branching and size (ranging from 12 to about 40 cm [5 to 16 inches]) vary. Dulse grows on rocks, mollusks, or larger seaweeds and attaches by means of disks or rhizoids. The alga can be grown in tanks and is of interest to researchers as a potential specialty food crop.