laver

Laver is the common name for certain edible seaweeds of red algae, traditionally harvested from temperate coastal waters. In botany, laver has long been associated with the genus Porphyra, but modern classifications place many species in Pyropia. The best known laver seaweeds include Pyropia yezoensis and Pyropia tenera, used to produce dried sheets for sushi (nori), and Pyropia umbilicalis, commonly called European laver, which is used to make laverbread in Britain and Ireland.

In culinary use, laver appears in several forms. Dried laver sheets are used as nori to wrap sushi and onigiri; fresh or boiled laver is processed in the Welsh dish laverbread, a purée traditionally served with fried bacon and cockles. Laver is also incorporated into soups, stews, and salads in various coastal cuisines, valued for its mineral content and umami flavor.

Beyond food, laver is a historical or literary term for a washbasin used for ablutions, especially in religious settings, and the verb to lave means to wash. The word laver may also appear as a surname or as part of place names in English-speaking regions.