Lyngbya majuscula is a species of seaweed in the genus Lyngbya. It is a species of cyanobacteria that is one of the causes of the human skin irritation seaweed dermatitis.^[1] It is also known as fireweed.^[2]

This organism appears to be on the increase due to pollution and overfishing. Nutrients such as nitrogen and human waste flow to the ocean due to rain runoff and sewers. These nutrients increase the population of microbes, which in turn remove oxygen from the water. Lack of fish to eat the microbes furthers the microbe populations. Low oxygen is the environment that cyanobacteria evolved for.^[3] This organism can also fix its own nitrogen from atmospheric nitrogen dissolved in the seawater. This implies that pollution with phosphorous and iron may be more important than nitrogen pollution. ^[4]

The microbe is known for its toxicity. Lyngbya majuscula produces "antifungal and cytotoxic agents, including laxaphycin A and B and curacin A."^[5]

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