Rhizoclonium
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| Rhizoclonium | |
|---|---|
_Kutz._(AM_AK299489-2).jpg) | |
| Rhizoclonium tortuosum | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Chlorophyta |
| Class: | Ulvophyceae |
| Order: | Cladophorales |
| Family: | Cladophoraceae |
| Genus: | Rhizoclonium Kützing |
| Species | |
Rhizoclonium is a genus of green algae in the family Cladophoraceae.[1] It is a cosmopolitan genus found in fresh, brackish and marine waters.[2]
Rhizoclonium consists of straight or curved, uniseriate filaments which are usually unbranched. Filaments have short rhizoids which are up to a few cells long, which arise from the sides of filaments or at the ends. Cells are cylindrical, generally 3.5 to 35 μm wide (rarely up to 60 μm wide), with a thin cell wall. Cells are multinucleate, i.e. with multiple (usually two to four) nuclei arranged axially.[3] The chloroplasts are parietal, net-like and with multiple pyrenoids.[4]
Rhizoclonium is capable of both asexual and sexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction occurs by fragmentation of filaments, akinetes, or biflagellate zoospores. Sexual reproduction is isogamous and the gametes are biflagellate, while spores are quadriflagellate.[3]