Spirogyra

Water silk/Pond scum

 Taxonomic Position
• Division : Chlorophyta
• Class : Chlorophyceae
• Order: Zygnemales
• Family : zygnemaceae
• Genus : Spirogyra
General View Of Spirogyra
• It is one of the commonest and large genus with about
300 species growing as free floating masses in stagnat or
slowly moving waters (streams) . Some species,e.g., Spirogyra
• adnata are attached to the substratum through a basal
rhizoidal cell.
• The mass of plants are slimy to touch.
• Spirogyra grows abundantly in springs.
• It is commonly known as water silk or pond scum.
 PLANT BODY
• Spirogyra is unbranched and have cylindrical cells
connected end to end in long green filament .
• The individual cell is cylindrical , much longer
than broad .
• In free floating species there is no distinction
between the basal and distal ends , where in
attached forms the lower most cell develops a
rhizoidal outgrowth called holdfast which helps
in attachment.
Cellular Structure
Microscopic View
 Cell Structure
• Cell Wall: Each cell has well developed cell wall . The
cell wall has two layers ,the outer wall is composed of
cellulose while the inner wall is of pectin .
• Cytoplasm : The cytoplasm form a thin lining b/w the
cell wall and the large vacule .Electron microscopic
studies show that mitochondria ,endoplasmic
reticulum , dictyosomes and other cytoplasmic
inclusions are also present in the cell . The no. of
chromosomes vary from specie to specie from 5 to 24
.
• Nucleus: Each cell has a prominent nucleus in the center,
suspended by thin strands of cytoplasm from the inner
part of cell wall.
• Chloroplast: Chloroplasts are embedded in the peripheral
cytoplasm and their numbers are variable (as few as
one) . The chloroplasts are ribbon shaped , and spirally
arranged, resulting in the prominent and characteristic
green spiral on each filament . Each chloroplast contains
several pyrenoids , appearing as small round bodies . The
characteristic pigments are chlorophyll a,b,c, and d,
carotene and xanthophylls .
• Growth: The growth of filament can take
place by cell division of the filament except
the holdfast.