Fritschiella: Characteristics, Classification and Diagram

In this article we will discuss about Fritschiella:- 1. Characteristics, 2. Classification and Diagram

1. Fritschiella Characteristics

• They grows on moist alkaline soil, silt of drying pools and similar other terrestrial habitats
• The green thallus is upright uniseriate filaments and all the cells of the plant body are uninucleate.
• It has highly deve­loped heterotrichous plant body which is differentiated into prostrate system and erect system
• Prostrate system has rounded or irregularly swollen clusters of cells, helps in perennation.
• Erect system composed of primary projecting system (short-celled branches) and a secondary projecting system (elongated-celled branches)
• It has a curved plate-like single parietal chloroplast with several pyrenoids.
• Asexual reproduction occur by quadriflagellate macro and microzoospores and biflagellate micro-zoospores.
• Sexual reproduction is isogamous by biflagellate gametes.
• All zoospores (swarm cells) are developed from the cells of the prostrate system.
• This alga exhibits isomor­phic alternation of generations, which means the sporophyte morpho­logically resembles to the haploid gametophytic plants.

2. Fritschiella Classification

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Division: Chlorophyta
• Class: Chlorophyceae
• Order: Chaetophorales
• Family: Chaetophoraceae
• Genus: Fritschiella

3. Fritschiella Diagram

• Prostrate System: dense, mat-like structure on the soil surface and made up of irregularly arranged filaments of small cells. Help for anchorage and nutrient absorption.
• Erect System: consists of upright, branched filaments and made up of elongated cells with conical shape at the tip. Help for for photosynthesis and reproduction.
• Rhizoids: These are root-like structures that arise from prostrate system and goes into the soil. Help for hold substrate and absorb water and nutrients.