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Algae

The Algae comprises of a large and very successful group of extremely diverse plants. They vary in size from the microscopic single cell, hardly visible to the naked eye, to being many tens of metres long and forming vast submarine forests. The group is ubiquitous being found in saline, brackish and fresh water environments. They occur in and on moist soil, on other plants and animals and even in specialised relationships with certain fungi to form another group of plants known as lichens.


Euastrum oblongum x720	*Micrasterias sol* x380

The examples shown above are of an exclusively freshwater and generally ornate group known as Desmids.

Another ornate group are the Diatoms.

Campylodiscus hibernicus

more images of Diatoms

Many algae are actively motile and use whip-like flagella as their mode of locomotion. Chlamydomonas spp. and Euglena spp. are perhaps two of the most common and widely know examples of these organisms.

Euglena gracilis x2,320