The salient features of Phaeophyceae members:
1. Phaeophyceae commonly called as Brown algae.
2. Majority are marine habitats. Pleurocladia is a fresh water form.
3. Thallus may be filamentous, frond – like or giant kelps.
4. Thallus is differentiated into photosynthetic part-frond, stalk – like structure – stipe and a holdfast for attachment.
5. Chlorophyll ‘a’ and ‘c’ , carotenoids and Xanthophylls are photosynthetic pigments.
6. A golden brown fucoxanthin pigment gives olive green to brown colour.
7. Mannitol and Laminarin starch is the storage material.
8. Motile spores with unequal flagella (one whiplash and one tinsel) are present.
9. Oogamous is the major type of sexual reproduction. Isogamy is also seen.
10. Alternation of generation is seen.
Example: Sargassum, Fucus, Laminaria and Dictyota.
