Characteristics of Phaeophyceae (Brown algae):
1. These algae are mostly marine, rarely fresh water.
2. Plant body is simple branched, filamentous (e.g. Ectocarpus) or profusely branched (e.g. Petalonia).
3. Cell wall has cellulose, fucans and algin.
4. Photosynthetic pigments like chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-c and fucoxanthin are present.
5. Mannitol, laminarin are stored food materials. Body is usually differentiated into holdfast, stalk called stipe and leaf-like photosynthetic organ called frond.
6. Many species of marine algae are used as food. e.g. Laminaria, Sargassum.
7. Some species are used for the production of hydrocolloids (water holding substances), e.g. Ectocarpus, Fucus, etc.
