Algae

Plant Characteristics

Origin:	✈	?

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	?"?" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property.
Water:	◍	?"?" is not in the list (wet, moist, moderate, dry, less when dormant) of allowed values for the "Water" property.

Scientific Names

The lineage of algae according to Thomas Cavallier-Smith. The three supergroups Archaeplastida, Chromalveolata and Cabozoa of eukaryotic algae are denoted to reflect the table below. Endosymbiotic events are noted by dotted lines.

Algae (singular alga) encompass several groups of relatively simple, eukaryotic, living aquatic organisms that capture light energy through photosynthesis, using it to convert inorganic substances into organic matter.^wp.

Algae are photosynthetic organisms that occur in most habitats. Algae varies from small, single-celled forms to complex multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length^wp.

Cultivation

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Propagation

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Pests and diseases

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Varieties

There are far too many varieties to list, with thousands known. Here are some which stand out.

• Arthrospira platensis, commercially cultivated as a nutritional supplement, is a Cyanobacteria (known as blue-green algae), and has been hailed by some as a superfood.[1]
• Chlorella (a green algae), commercially cultivated as a nutritional supplement^wp.
• Dunaliella (Dunaliella salina), commercially cultivated as a nutritional supplement, is high in beta-carotene and is used in vitamin C supplements^wp.
• Fat choy (which is actually a cyanobacterium), popular in China as a "vegetable".
• Palmaria palmata (Rhodymenia palmata, common name: dulse). [2] A red alga which is dried and may be bought in shops in Ireland. It is eaten raw, fresh or dried, or cooked like spinach.
• Durvillaea antarctica [3] is eaten in Chile, common name: cochayuyo. [4]
• Porphyra (common name: purple laver), is also collected and eaten in many ways around the world.
• Chondrus crispus, (probably confused with Mastocarpus stellatus, common name: Irish moss), is used as "carrageen" for the stiffening of milk and dairy products, such as ice-cream.
• Ulva lactuca (common name: sea lettuce), added to soups or used in salads in Scotland.
• Alaria esculenta (common name: dabberlocks), is used either fresh or cooked.
• Atractophora hypnoides P.L.Crouan and H.M.Crouan (red algae)
• Ascophyllum nodosum
• Charales (green algae)
• Chondrus crispus
• Codium
• Fucus
• Ulva lactuca
• Laminaria
• Lemanea
• Macrocystis
• Mastocarpus stellatus
• Pelvetia canaliculata
• Palmaria palmata
• Porphyra

Gallery

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  Seaweed is used as a fertiliser

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  A seaweed (Laurencia) up close: the "branches" are multicellular and only about 1 mm thick. Much smaller algae are seen growing attached to the structure extending upwards in the lower right quarter

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  Algal blooms can present problems for ecosystems and human society

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  photo 4

See also

• Algaculture
• Brown Algae
• Chlorophyta
• Coccolithophore
• Coralline algae
• Cyanobacteria
• Diatom
• Golden Algae
• Green Algae
• Hydrology transport model
• Kelp
• Laminaria
• Nori
• Red Algae
• Yellow-Green Algae

External links

• w:Algae. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Algae QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)
• AlgaeBase - a comprehensive database of over 35,000 Algae (132,000 names), including seaweeds, with over 5000 images and some 40,000 references.
• www.phyco.org; a wiki-based site that is focused on energy production from algae.
• biodieselnow.com biodiesel production-biodiesel from algae
• Australian freshwater algae - Sydney Botanic Gardens
• Learn about Algae & Algal Blooms - Rural Chemical Industries (Aust.) Pty Ltd.
• Harmful Algal Blooms - "Red tide" - National Office for Marine Biotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms, USA.
• Patent ListingAlgae Related United States Patents
• Algae Section, National Museum of Natural History - Smithsonian Institution
• www.plantphysiol.org
• Cyanosite
• Algae Growth
• Blanket Weed
• British Phycological Society
• Seaweed site by Michael Guiry
• http://www.botanicgardens.ie/educ/vis12.htm
• http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/protista/rhodophyta.html - Introduction to Rhodophyta]
• http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/algae/
• http://www.marlin.ac.uk - Marlin
• http://www.mbari.org/staff/conn/botany/flora/reds.htm - Monterey Bay Flora
• http://www.mbari.org/staff/conn/botany/flora/browns.htm - Monterey Bay Flora
• http://www.mbari.org/staff/conn/botany/flora/green.htm - Monterey Bay Flora