Sargassum

Life history of Sargassum:

Classification

Division – phaeophyceae

Class. – cyclospore

Order. – fucales

Family. – sargassaceae

Genus. – sargassum

INTRODUCTION

There are about 150 species in this genus.

OCCURRENCE

The marine alga is popularly called gulf weed. It is found chiefly in the tropical and subtropical seas of southern hemisphere. Most of the species attached along the rocky shores. They are especially abundant in the warmer sons, Some species along the Indian coast (East and West) and that of the Australian sens and also in Japan. The Sargassum natans and Sargassum fluitans are abundantly found in the Atlantic oceans around the gulf of Mexico. Hence this part of Atlantic Ocean is called the Sargasso sea. It lies off the African coast between 20 and 35 North latitude. In India the genus is represented by 16 species which occur along the Western and Southern coast. Some common species of Sargassum are S. einereum, S. carpophyllum, S. duplicatum, S. christifolium, S. tenerrium, S. ilicifolium, S. plagiophyllum, S. wightii and S. myrioeystum.

THALLUS STRUCTURE

The Sargassum plant is macroscopic and more or less hushy in habitat. Apparently like a small angiospermic plant. The plant body is radially symmetrical. Some species such as S. vulgare and S. filipendula are found attached to the substratum. Free floating unattached forms like S. natans is very common. It occurs in huge floating masses.

EXTERNAL STRUCTURE

The thallus of Sargassum in diploid and sporophytic. It is erect and branched and is differentiated into holdfast and the main axis. It benars many leaves like lateral branches andair bladders latter on.