Charophyta

Charophyta & their characteristics

1. ALGAL TECHNOLOGY

2. Submitted By: S. Afra Fathima, I - M Sc Microbiology .

3. CHAROPHYTA

4. Definition: Charophyceae, class of green algae ( Division: Charophyta ) commonly found in fresh water. Members can be unicellular, filamentous, colonial or multicellular and plant like. Many species have flagellated cells and store starch in characteristic plastids. It is commonly known as Stoneworts or Brittleworts .

5. Scientific Name: Higher Classification: Plants Rank: Phylum Division: Charophyta Kingdom: Plantae Domain: Eukaryota

6. CLASSES OF CHAROPHYTA

7. CLASSES

8. Chlorokybales: Chlorokybales atmosphiticus is a rare soil algae. It is composed of small clusters of cells (i.e., Sarcinoid ). It produces one zoospore per cell, with two laterally inserted flagella associated with a groove. Unlike other charophytes that produce zoospores.

9. Klebsormidiales: The Klebsormidiales (roughly 15 species) are fresh water or terrestrial algae. It is composed of unbranched filaments that may dissociate into short segments called hormogonia . They are common on rocks and concrete in moist climates. It can often be found forming a green film near drinking fountains, hose spigots, and in permanently shaded areas. Example: Klebsormidium sp.

10. Coleochaetales: The Coleochaetales (roughly 30 species) are microscopic but structurally complex algae found exclusively in freshwater. They are composed of branched filaments, which may be arranged in a three-dimensional cushion or two-dimensional disk. Asexual reproduction is by the formation of zoospores. Sexual reproduction in coleochaete is oogamous, and the zygote is retained on the parental thallus.

11. Charales: The Charales (roughly 300 species) are large, structurally complex algae. It is found primarily in fresh water, but also in brackish, and semi-terrestrial environments. The size ranges from few millimetres to over a meter in length. Internodes are unicellular. Examples: - Chara braunii - Nitella tenuissima This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

12. Zygnematales: The Zygnematales (roughly 3800 species) are either unbranched filaments or unicellular. There are no flagella stages, but some are capable of gliding mobility. Sexual reproduction occurs through a process of conjugation . Example: Spirogyra maxima

13. Characteristic Features: The plant body shows very much complexity in their structure. They remain attached with the substratum rhizoids . The main axis is differentiated into Nodes and Internodes . Each node bears a number of branches of limited growth and sometimes single branches of unlimited growth. The branches of limited growth are also differentiated into nodes and internodes. Each node bears both the sex organs ( Nucule i.e., female & Globule i.e., male) and secondary laterals .

14. Reproduction:

15. Vegetative reproduction – takes place by means of specialized star-like, tuber-like and protonema-like structures. Sexual reproduction – It is of oogamous type. The Nucule is oval-shaped and very much protected, which contains one egg and globule is round and develops many antherozoids. Zygote is produced after sexual reproduction. It shows very much elaborate post-fertilization changes. During germination , zygote under meiosis and gradually it forms the plant body of Chara.

16. References: 1.https://www.Britannica.com/science/Charophyceae 2.www.life.umd.edu/labs/delwiche/charophyte.html 3.www.biologydiscussion.com/algae/Chara-occurrence-features-and-reproduction/46890

17. THANK YOU This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY