Ulva lactuca, commonly known as sea lettuce, is a fast-growing green seaweed found worldwide in oceans and seas. It has a thin, flat thallus up to 30 cm long attached by a small disc-shaped holdfast. Ulva lactuca has a simple life cycle alternating between haploid gametophyte and diploid sporophyte generations. It can be eaten and used medicinally, and helps remove pollutants from water.