Marthea
Genus of algae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marthea is a genus of green algae in the family Characiaceae, containing the single species Marthea tetras.[1] It is an extremely rare genus; it has only been recorded once,[1] as freshwater phytoplankton from its original locality in the Bohemian Forest region of the Czech Republic.[2]
| Marthea | |
|---|---|
| |
| Marthea tetras | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Chlorophyta |
| Class: | Chlorophyceae |
| Order: | Sphaeropleales |
| Family: | Characiaceae |
| Genus: | Marthea Pascher, 1918 |
| Species: | M. tetras |
| Binomial name | |
| Marthea tetras Pascher, 1918[1] | |
Marthea tetras consists of cells in colonies of four in a cross shape. Cells are spindle-shaped, with the base attached to a central mass of mucilage, while the apex of the cells are pointed. The cell wall is smooth. Cells contain one nucleus and a single, parietal chloroplast with one pyrenoid.[1]
Marthea reproduces asexually by autospores.[1] Four autospores form from one protoplast. Unusually, the autospores show amoeboid movement for some time, before settling in their usual shape and being released from the sporangium.[3]
