Ectocarpus is a filamentous heterotrichous marine brown alga of the family Ectocarpaceae. It is the most primitive genus of brown algae. Due to the small mature thallus and relatively quick completion of the life cycle, Ectocarpus serves as a model…
Laminaria is a highly developed parenchymatous marine brown alga of the family Laminariales. It is mostly found in the northern Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. The species of Laminaria are popularly known as “Devil’s aprons” due to their shape. They…
Polysiphonia is a filamentous marine red alga of the family Rhodomelaceae. It is mainly found along the coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The plant body of Polysiphonia remains attached to a rocky surface or other algae by rhizoids.…
Oscillatoria is a common genus of Cyanobacteria or blue-green algae. It often occurs in freshwater habitats. Oscillatoria forms a thin, blue-green coating on the surface or edge of flowing water. Salient Features of Oscillatoria The salient features of Oscillatoria are…
Nostoc is the most common genus of Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). It is found in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Nostoc is also known as star jelly or spit of the moon due to its colonies, composed of filaments of moniliform cells in…
Polytrichum is one of the largest mosses and a genus of the order Polytrichales. It is found in all parts of the world. Polytrichum is commonly called hairy cap moss due to the shaggy calyptra enclosing the mature capsule. Distribution…
Chara is a multicellular submerged freshwater green alga of the class Charophyceae. It is usually found in freshwater ponds, lakes, tanks, etc. On the surfaces of the Chara, cyanobacteria have been found to grow as epiphytes. Chara is commonly known…
Funaria, a genus of mosses (a group of non-vascular flowerless plants) in the order Funariales, is widely distributed all over the world. It belongs to the family Funariaceae. The genus Funaria grows during the rainy season as dense patches in…
Anthoceros, a genus of hornworts (a group of non-vascular embryophytes) in the order Anthocerotales, is widely distributed, mainly in tropical and temperate regions of the world. It belongs to the family Anthocerotaceae. The name Anthoceros means ‘flower horn‘, which refers to…
Marchantia, a genus of thallose liverworts in the order Marchantiales, is widely distributed all over the world. It belongs to the family Marchantiaceae. Nicolas Marchant, a French botanist, named the Marchantia in memory of his father. Distribution of Marchantia Marchantia…