What are the general characters of phaeophyta ( brown algae ) ?

Explanation

The general characters of phaeophyta are as follows `:`
(i) Brown algae are mostly marine except few members. They are mostly multicellular in nature.
(ii) Air vesticles store gases and provide buoyancy to brown algae.
(iii) Kelps of brown algae are differentiated into holdfast, stipe and lamina.
(iv) Cell wall is composed of cellulose , pectose and phycocolloids.
(v) Plastids of brown algae are brown in colour, ribbon and satellite shaped.
(vi ) Pigments are chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c , carotenes and xanthophylls.
(vii) Brown colour of algae is due to presence of pigment xanthophyll called fucoxanthin.
(viii) In brown algae reserve food is laminarin and mannitol.
(ix) Flagellate zoospores and gametes oocur in brown algae.
(x) Vegetative reproduction occurs through fragmentation, propagules, adventitive branches and stolons.
(xi) Asexual reproduction occurs by neutral spores, tetraspores and monspores.
(xii) Sexual reproduction takes place through isogamy, anisogamy and oogamy. In oogamy the female gamete is non motile ovum.