Structure
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Unicellular or multicellular
Nonvascular
Same pigments as vascular plants
Double-membrane chloroplasts
No centrioles
Inner cell wall made of cellulose
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Unicellular or Multicellular
Nonvascular
Same pigments as vascular plants
Double-membrane chloroplasts
No centrioles
Cell wall made of cellulose
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Red color from phycoerythrin
Store energy as floridean starch
Unstacked thylakoids
Outer cell wall made of pectic acid
No flagella
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May live in colonies
Store energy as starch
Stacked thylakoids
Cell walls made of cellulose
Most have flagella
Diversity
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Protista
Phylum: Rhodophyta
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Chlorophyta, Charophyta
Nutrition and Metabolism
• Photosynthesis
• Photosynthesis
• Floridean starch made in cytosol
• Starch made in plastids
Reproduction
• Alternation of generations
• Alternation of generations
• Some reproduce asexually
• Some reproduce asexually
• Sperm lack flagella, so they depend on
water currents to reproduce
• Sexual reproduction by flagellated
gametes
Uniqueness
• Unstacked thylakoids and cytosolic
floridean starch
• Closest ancestor to vascular plants
• Most common algae on land
• Phycoerythrin allows it to live deeper
in the water
• Some can excrete calcium carbonate
• Only algae to form pit connections
after cytokinesis
• Form symbiotic relationships with
other organisms
Ecological Significance
• Calcium carbonate used in bonereplacement therapy
• Endosymbiotic with some
organisms.
• Used to expel intestinal worms
• Carotenes may help treat or cause
cancer
• Agar used in foods and agarose gel
• Some are invasive or parasitic
• Carrageenan used for yogurt,
chocolate milk, and puddings
• Porphyra used in Japanese cuisine
• Make up coral reefs
• Help treat herpes simplex
• Counter global warming
Examples
Porphyra
Trentepohlia
P: Chlorophyta
C: Ulvophyceae
O: Trentepohliales
F: Trentepohliaceae
G: Trentepohlia
P: Rhodophyta
C: Rhodophyceae
O: Bangiales
F: Bangiaceae
G: Porphyra
Used to produce laver, gim, and nori.
Parasitic on trees.
Examples
Eucheuma
P: Rhodophyta
C: Rhodophyceae
O: Gigartinales
F: Areschougiaceae
T: Eucheumatoideae
Used to produce carrageenan, which
is used in cosmetics and foods.
Caulerpa
P: Chlorophyta
C: Bryopsidophyceae
O: Bryopsidales
F: Caulerpaceae
G: Caulerpa
Sea grapes. Used in East Asian cuisine
Examples
Coralline Algae
P: Rhodophyta
C: Florideophyceae
O: Corallinales
Excrete calcium carbonate. Make up
coral reefs.
Volvox
P: Chlorophyta
C: Chlorophyceae
O: Volvocales
F: Volvocaceae
G: Volvox
Colonial algae.
Examples
Gracilaria
Dunaliella salina
P: Rhodophyta
C: Florideophyceae
O: Gracilariales
F: Graciliaraceae
G: Gracilaria
P: Chlorophyta
C: Chlorophyceae
O: Volvocales
F: Dunaliellaceae
G: Dunaliella
S: D. salina
Excrete calcium carbonate. Make up
coral reefs.
Halophilic. Creates large amounts of
carotenoids and glycerol.
References
Campbell, Neil A., & Reece, Jane B. (2002). The Origins of Eukaryotic Diversity. Biology: Sixth edition (p. 565-567). Sansome St., San Francisco, CA: Benjamin Cummings.
Freshwater, D. Wilson. (2000). Rhodophyta. Red Algae. The Tree of Life Web Project. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from: http://tolweb.org/Rhodophyta/2381/2000.03.24.
Guiry, Michael. (2011). The Seaweed Site: Information on marine algae. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from: http://www.seaweed.ie/index.html.
University of California Museum of Paleontology. (2012). The Protists. UGMP Taxon Lift. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/index/protista.html.
Gietler, Scott (photographer).(n.d.). Garibaldi and Red Algae [Online image]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/catalina-island-underwater.
Pfaff, Sydney (utilizer). (2011). Ingredient Spotlight: Red Algae [Online image]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://blog.sephora.com/2011/04/ingredient-spotlight-red-algae.html
Texas Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences . (n.d.). Muskgrass, Chara [Online image]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/plant-identification/alphabetical-index/muskgrass/
Wiegand, Alice (photographer). (2006). Nori [Online image]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nori.
Navez, Bruno (photographer). (2007). Trentepohlia sp. on Cryptomeria japonica bark [Online image]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trentepohlia_(alga)
Bioted Biology Technology Devolopment (2012). Rong Nho [Online Image]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://bioted.vn/biofeed/?mode=news&id=325.
The Seaweed Site: Information on Marine Algae. Iris Maerl [Image of purple algae]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://www.seaweed.ie/uses_ireland/irishmaerl.html
National Ocean and Atmospheric Organization (photographer). (2010). [Image of brain coral and sea plumes]. Retrieved February 15, 2012 from http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/20100825_seaweb.html