Kingdom: Protista
    Stramenopila

General Characteristics

_
  • Stramenopila is a group that includes brown algae, kelps, diatoms, and water molds
  • Generally live in marine environments
  • Even the giant brown algae lack the complex vascular systems of land plants
  • Water molds (oomycetes) can be parasitic

Diatoms

_
  • Uniquely silica-shelled unicellular algae.
  • Diatoms produce two shells out of silica that fit closely together, called frustrules
  • Produce food through photosynthesis
  • Some diatoms move using two long grooves called raphes
  • Shells vary wildly in shape

Fucus

_
  • A common kelp species found on rocky seashores.
  • Each plant produces both male and female reproductive structures
  • Those take the form of conceptacles, cup-shaped structures with ostioles (openings) guarded by paraphyses (hairs) out to the environment

Brown Algae

Picture