Purple red alga

The purple red alga (Porphyridium cruentum) is a common red algae species of a microalgae species. Prophyridium cruentum is used industrially, pharmaceutically and cosmetically. Porphyridium cruentum is found all year round in shady, damp places near bodies of water, in corners of walls and at the foot of old trees.

Porphyridium cruentum forms black-red to carmine-red, to plate-sized and membrane-mucilaginous jelly deposits. The individual cells are 7 to 12 micrometers in size, spherical to polygonal and brown-red to red. They form carbohydrates (florid starch). The chloroplasts are stained red by carotenoids.

Extracts from the purple micro algae are used in so-called algae cosmetics because of their skin-protecting properties.