Algae and its characteristics — lesson. Science State Board, Class 8.

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Thallophyta:

It is a division of plant kingdom that includes algae, fungi, and lichens that do not have a well-differentiated body design.

Algae and its characteristics:

These are a group of plants that do not have a well-differentiated body design. These plants are commonly known as algae and are mostly aquatic. The word 'Algae' is a Latin word that means sea weeds.

Important!

The branch of study of algae is called phycology or algology.

Characteristics of algae:

Algae are autotrophic organisms.
Their plant bodies are not differentiated into root, stem and leaf, and thus known as thallus.
These organisms are mostly aquatic habitat, i.e. of either freshwater or marine water.
Only a few algae can survive in wet soil.
Some of them are very minute and float on the surface of the water. These type of algae are known as phytoplankton.
Like the lichens, some are symbiotic in nature as they form associations with fungi and are mutually benefitted.
A few of them are epiphytes as they grow on the surface of a plant. They derive the moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water around that plant.