Phylum 1: Thallophyta (Algae)
Introduction
Thallophyta is one of the most primitive and fundamental phyla within the Plant Kingdom. It
includes organisms commonly referred to as algae—simple, mostly aquatic, autotrophic
organisms that lack the complex structures seen in higher plants. The name "Thallophyta" is
derived from the term thallus, which describes the undifferentiated body of these plants.
Though no longer widely used in modern taxonomy (algae are now distributed across several
groups including protists and simple plants), Thallophyta remains a useful term in educational
contexts to understand the early evolution of plant life and the foundational role algae play in
ecosystems.
Morphological Characteristics
1. Thallus Body Structure:
○ The plant body is called a thallus, meaning it is not clearly divided into root,
stem, and leaf.
○ Some algae are unicellular, such as Chlamydomonas, while others are colonial
(e.g., Volvox) or filamentous (e.g., Spirogyra), and a few are even multicellular
and macroscopic, like Laminaria and Sargassum.
○ Despite lacking roots, they often attach to surfaces using holdfasts, which
anchor them but do not absorb nutrients like true roots.
2. Lack of Vascular Tissues:
○ Thallophytes do not have vascular tissues like xylem and phloem, hence they
rely on diffusion for the transport of water, nutrients, and gases.
○ This limits their size and restricts them primarily to moist or aquatic
environments.
3. Habitat:
○ Most algae are aquatic, found in both freshwater (ponds, lakes, rivers) and
marine environments (oceans, seas).
○ Some are terrestrial, found in moist soil, tree trunks, or rocks.
○ A few are even endosymbiotic, living inside animals like sponges and corals.
Types of Algae
Algae in Thallophyta are broadly classified based on the pigments they contain, their storage
products, and cell wall composition.
1. Green Algae (Chlorophyta):
○ Contain chlorophyll a and b, giving them a bright green color.
○ Store food as starch.
○ Have cellulose cell walls.
○ Found mostly in freshwater.
○ Examples: Chlamydomonas, Ulva (sea lettuce), Spirogyra, Volvox.
2. Brown Algae (Phaeophyta):
○ Contain chlorophyll a, c, and fucoxanthin, a brown pigment.
○ Store food as laminarin and mannitol.
○ Cell walls have algin, used commercially as a thickener.
○ Mostly marine, often large and complex in structure.
○ Examples: Laminaria, Fucus, Sargassum.
3. Red Algae (Rhodophyta):
○ Contain chlorophyll a, d, and phycoerythrin, a red pigment.
○ Able to photosynthesize at deeper ocean depths due to the efficiency of their
pigments in low light.
○ Store food as floridean starch.
○ Cell walls contain agar and carrageenan.
○ Mostly marine.
○ Examples: Polysiphonia, Gelidium, Gracilaria.
Reproduction in Thallophyta
Thallophytes reproduce through vegetative, asexual, and sexual methods:
1. Vegetative Reproduction:
○ By fragmentation: the thallus breaks into parts, and each part grows into a new
organism (e.g., Spirogyra).
2. Asexual Reproduction:
○ By spores: unicellular reproductive bodies like zoospores (motile) or
aplanospores (non-motile) are formed inside the parent cell.
3. Sexual Reproduction:
○ Shows variation from isogamy (fusion of similar gametes), anisogamy (fusion of
dissimilar gametes), to oogamy (fusion of a large egg and small motile sperm).
○ Examples:
■ Chlamydomonas shows all three types.
■ Spirogyra reproduces sexually by conjugation.
■ Fucus exhibits clear oogamous reproduction.
Economic and Ecological Importance
1. Oxygen Production:
○ Algae, especially marine phytoplankton, are responsible for producing over
50% of the Earth's oxygen through photosynthesis.
2. Food Source:
○ Algae like Ulva (sea lettuce) and Porphyra (used in sushi) are edible and rich in
nutrients.
○ In many coastal cultures, seaweed farming is an important livelihood.
3. Industrial Use:
○ Agar from red algae (Gelidium) is used in:
■ Food industry (as a gelling agent),
■ Microbiology labs (as culture medium),
■ Cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
○ Alginates from brown algae are used in ice cream, toothpaste, and textiles.
4. Biofertilizers:
○ Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae, often included with Thallophyta in older
systems) like Anabaena and Nostoc live symbiotically with plants like rice and fix
atmospheric nitrogen, enriching soil fertility.
5. Environmental Role:
○ Algae form the base of aquatic food chains, supporting countless marine
organisms.
○ Help in carbon dioxide absorption and climate regulation.
6. Pollution Indicators:
○ Some algae grow rapidly in nutrient-rich water (eutrophication), forming algal
blooms that can be toxic or harmful, serving as indicators of water pollution.
