Nostoc Taxonomic Position, Habitat, thallus and Cell structure

Nostoc: Taxonomic Position and Habitat

•       Class: Cyanophyceae (Blue Green Algae)

•       Order: Nostocales; Family: Nostocaceae

•       Terrestrial Aquatic habitat

•       Fresh water ponds, pools, puddles

•       Damp soil N.commune

•       Symbiotic association with some Plants Coralloid root Cycas, Anthoceros thallus

•       Gelatinous grouping called “star jelly” witches butter”

Thallus structure

•       Colonial, filamentous algae as mucilaginous balls

•       Filaments: uniseriate, unbranched, beaded appearance

•       3 types of cells: Vegetative cells, akinete and heterocyst

Cell structure

•       Spherical, oval, barrel shaped cells

•       Prokaryotic, two layers of  mucopolysachride

•       Protoplasm divided into centroplasm and chromoplasm

•       Centroplasm contains DNA

•       Chromoplasm contains pigments and thylakoids

•       Reserve food: Cyanophycean strach and cyanophycean protein granules
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