Porphyra is an aquatic plant, belonging to the genus Porphyra of Nymphaeaceae, also known as water chestnut, water chestnut, water leek and so on. Porphyra is a common aquatic plant, which grows in freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers, reservoirs and other waters, usually with a water depth of one to four meters.

Porphyra stems are slender, the leaves are rhombic or elliptical, the leaves are smooth, the petiole is short, and there are tiny pores on the surface of the stems and leaves, which can exchange gas. Porphyra usually blooms in summer, with white or pale pink flowers, inverted petals and a flower diameter of about 2-3 cm.

Porphyra is a nutritious edible plant, which is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, which is beneficial to enhance human immunity and promote health. The stem, leaves and flowers of shepherd's purse can be used as food, and can be made into shepherd's purse soup, shepherd's purse jiaozi, shepherd's purse egg flower soup and other delicacies.

Besides being used as food, carnivores also have certain medicinal value. Porphyra has the effects of clearing away heat and toxic materials, inducing diuresis to reduce swelling, moistening lung and relieving cough, and is often used to treat lung-heat cough, cancer, edema and other diseases. In addition, algae-eating can also be used for environmental treatment and water ecological restoration, which can adsorb pollutants, purify water quality and maintain the balance and stability of water ecological environment.

In a word, algae-eating is an aquatic plant that grows in water. It is not only an edible plant with rich nutrition, but also has certain medicinal value and environmental restoration function, and has multiple values and significance.