B.Sc.

Semester I
Botany
Unit III - Phycology
RANGE OF THALLUS STRUCTURE
IN ALGAE

Dr. Sugandha Tiwari

Associate Professor
Department of Botany
Dayanand Girls’ P.G. College
Kanpur, U.P., India
Email: [email protected]
What are algae?

● Algae are a group of chlorophyll containing simple thalloid

plants.
● Plant body does not have roots, stem, leaves or leaf like
organs.
● Algae are placed in the division thallophyta along with fungi
and lichens.
● Algae differ from fungi in the presence of photosynthetic
pigment – Chlorophyll and in their mode of nutrition.
 What are algae?

● Most of the algae are autotrophic (Synthesize their own

food), yet heterotrophic ( Obtain nutrients from complex
organic substances) and holozoic mode of nutrition is also
present in some algal forms.
● Although Cyanobacteria are often referred to as Blue Green
Algae, most authorities exclude all prokaryotes from the
definition of algae.
 Algal plant body is known as thallus.

Thallus is a plant body which is not divided

into true roots, stem, leaves or leaf like
structures.
 On the basis of thallus organization, algae are divided
into following types :

1. Unicellular forms
2. Multicellular colonial forms
3. Multicellular filamentous forms
4. Siphonaceous forms
5. Multicellular Parenchymatous forms
1. UNICELLULAR FORMS

Unicellular forms function as complete living unit.

Unicellular forms are found in all groups of algae except
Charophyceae and Phaeophyceae.

(a) Rhizopodial unicells

(b) Flagellated/ Motile unicells
(c) Non-motile unicells
1. (a) Rhizopodial unicells

These forms lack rigid cell walls. They possess cytoplasmic

projections which help them in amoeboid movement.
e.g. Rhizochrysis (Chrysophyceae), Rhizochloris (Xanthophyceae),
Chrysamoeba ( Chrysophyceae).

Chrysamoeba
https://www.arcella.nl/chrysamoeba/
1. (b) Flagellated/ Motile unicells:

Flagellated vegetative cells are found in all groups of algae

except Cyanophyceae, Phaeophyceae and Rhodophyceae.
The number of flagella, type and insertion differs in different
groups of algae. (e.g. Euglena, Chlamydomonas)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Chlamydomonas
1. (c) Non-motile unicells:
Non motile algae do not possess flagella or eye spot ( meant
for locomotion). (e.g. Chlorella

https://utex.org/products/utex-0026
2. MULTICELLULAR COLONIAL FORMS
Colonial forms are developed by repeated division of cells and
their aggregation within a mucilaginous mass. On the basis of
morphology, colonial organization may be divided into the
following four types:
(a) Coenobium
(b) Palmelloid colony
(c) Dendroid colony
(d) Rhizopodial colony
2. (a) Coenobium:
A colony with definite shape, size and arrangement of cells
is known as coenobium. The number of cells in a
coenobium is determined during the juvenile stage and
later there is only an increase in size of the colony.
Coenobium may be motile ( e.g. Gonium, Pandorina,
Eudorina ,Volvox) or non- motile (e.g. Hydrodictyon,
Pediastrum).

Hydrodictyon
Volvox https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ Hydrodictyon_amimidoro01.jpg
File:Mikrofoto.de-volvox-8.jpg
2. (b) Palmelloid colony:
The number of cells, shape and size of the colony is not
definite. The cells remain irregularly aggregated within a
common mucilaginous matrix, but they are independent and
function as individuals (e.g. Tetraspora, Aphanothece).

Aphanothece
http://www.environmentdata.org/
archive/eaia:310
2. (c) Dendroid colony:
Mucilaginous thread is present at the base of each cell and the
threads of different cells are united to form a branched
structure. It gives a tree-like appearance to the whole colony (
e.g. Dinobryon, Chrysodendron).

https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/
Chrysophyceae
2. (d) Rhizopodial colony:
Cells of the colony are united through cytoplasmic
projections or rhizopodia (e.g. Chrysidiastrum)

http://plantlife.ru/books/item/f00/s00/
z0000025/st005.shtml http://nordicmicroalgae.org/taxon/
Chrysidiastrum%20catenatum?media_id=Ch
rysidiastrum%20catenatum_3.jpg
3. MULTICELLULAR FILAMENTOUS FORM

Filamentous forms are formed by repeated transverse divisions

of cells. The cells are arranged one over the other in a definite
sequence to form a filament. The filaments may be branched
or unbranched and the cells in the filament may be arranged in
a single row (uniaxial) or more than one row (multiaxial).

(a) Unbranched filaments

(b) Branched filaments
3. (a) Unbranched filaments:

Simple unbranched filaments may be free floating

(e.g. Spirogyra), attached to the substratum (e.g. Ulothrix,
Oedogonium) or aggregate to form colony (e.g. Nostoc,
Gloeotrichia).

Spirogyra
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
The_freshwater_alga_Spirogyra.jpg
3. (b) Branched filaments:
Branched filaments are formed by repeated transverse
divisions of lateral outgrowths of cells.The branching of the
filaments may be false or true.
(i) False branching: A trichome may break either due to death
or decay of intercalary cells or at the point of heterocysts. The
broken end of the filament emerges out of the mucilaginous
sheath in the form of a branch ( e.g. Scytonema)

Scytonema
https://utex.org/products/utex-b-2349
(ii) Simple branched filaments:
Simple branched filaments remain attached to the substratum
with the help of a basal cell/ hold fast. Branches may arise as a
lateral outgrowth of any cell except from the hold fast ( eg.
Cladophora).

Cladophora , X160. Photo: Otago

Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua
(iii) Heterotrichous filaments: This type of thallus is
differentiated into the prostrate system and erect system of
branching. Both the prostrate system and erect system of
branches may be well developed (e.g. Fritschiella, Ectocarpus)
or there is a progressive elimination of either prostrate sytem (e.
g. Draparnaldiopsis) or erect system ( e.g. Coleochaete)

Fritschiella
http://cfb.unh.edu/phycokey/Choices/
Chlorophyceae/filaments/branched/
FRITSCHIELLA/Fritschiella_Image_page.
html
(iv) Pseudoparenchymatous:
In many filamentous forms, one or more central or axial filaments
, together with their branches , form a parenchyma like structure.
If the pseudoparenchymatous thallus is formed by branches of
only one filament, it is called uniaxial ( e.g. Batrachospermum) . If
branches of more than one filaments are involved, it is said to be
multiaxial ( e.g. Polysiphonia).

Polysiphonia
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Polysiphonia_spermatangia_WM.jpg
4. SIPHONACEOUS FORMS
Thallus is made up of branched, aseptate, coenocytic
(multinucleate), tubular filaments. Nuclear divisions are not
accompanied by wall formation (e.g. Vaucheria, Botrydium).

Vaucheria
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Vaucheria_sp_sexial_reproductive_organ02.jpg
5. PARENCHYMATOUS FORMS
Parenchymatous thalli are formed by the divisions of cells in
two or more planes. The parenchymatous thalli is of various
shapes, like flat (e.g. Ulva, Porphyra), tubular (e.g.
Scytosiphon) or complex (eg. Sargassum).

Ulva
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Meersalat-Ulva-lactuca.jpg
6. Chara like branched thalloid plant body:
Chara is a macroscopic, multicellular, profusely branched
thalloid plant body, generally attaining a height of about 20-30
cm (rarely about 1 meter). It is differentiated into rhizoid and
main axis.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.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Chara_braunii_1.JPG
REVISION: Types of thallus in algae
Let’s revise

Q.1 Describe in detail the range of thallus structure found in algae.

Q.2 What is a coenobium? Give an example of motile and non motile coenobium.
Q.3 What do you understand by heterotrichous habit?
Q.4 Describe the thallus structure of Chara.
Q.5 What is pseudobranching? Explain with example.
References:

Recommended Books:
1. Kumar, H.D. (1999). Introductory Phycology. Affiliated East- West Press Pvt. Ltd. Delhi
2nd edition.
2. Annie Ragland, 2012, Algae and Bryophytes, Saras publication, Kanyakumari, india.
3. Chopra, G.L., 1984. A textbook of Algae, rastogi Publications, Meerut, India.
4. Desikachari, T.V., 1959. Cyanophyta, ICAR, New delhi.
5. Fritsch, F.E., 1977. structure and Reproduction of Algae, Cambridge University Press,
London.
6. Pandey, B.P., 2001. College Botany, Vol I, S. Chand & Company Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
7. Sunder Rajan, S.,2010. College Botany, Vol I, Himalaya Publications, Mumbai.
8. Vashishtha, B.R., Sinha, A.K. and Singh, V.P., 1991. Algae, S. Chand & Company Pvt. Ltd.,
New Delhi.
9. O.P. Sharma (2011)Algae, Tata McGraw Hill Publication.
 S. Tiwari

Than yo al