General Information
- Commonly referred to as Brown Algae.
- Belongs to the group Heterokontophyta, or Stramenopiles.
- Only distantly related to green algae.
- Color: Olive green to brown, depending on which pigment, brown (fucoxanthin) or green pigment (chlorophyll), is more dominant.
- Contain chlorophylls a and c, and fucoxanthin and carotenoid pigments.
- Stores it's food as laminarin.
- Phaeophyta is a food and a habitat for other organisms in marine environments.
- All Phaeophyta are multi-cellular.
- There are between 1,500-2,000 species of brown algae, including Kelp, Hijiki, Kombu and Rock Weed.
- Can be microscopic, or up to 150 feet long.
- Certain species can grow up to 20 inches a day.
- It is an eukaryotic organism.
- It is an important primary producer in many food webs.
- Brown algae inhabit mainly coastal marine environments, although there a rare few in freshwater.
- Some species are used as fertilizer or as a vegetable.
- Certain species have large bladders filled with air to increase their buoyancy.
- Does not have an embryo in reproduction.
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/9/7/24971352/565407.png)
Body Plan:
- The Holdfast is used to attach to rocks or the seafloor
- The Stipe is is used to float and is flexible
- The Blade is a flat, leaf-like leathery structure used for photosynthesis.
- Pneumatocysts are air bladders that are only found in some species, and they contain gas to help keep the algae afloat.
Phaeophyta are the best. - Gandhi