Are algae plants?

I was nibbling on some nori the other day when a thought suddenly hit me. I don't know squat about algae. I know it comes in many shapes, sizes, and colors. I know it is that stuff that we used to throw at each other on the beach. I know that it photosynthesizes. That's about it. What are algae? read more

Land plants are pigmented similarly to green algae and probably developed from them, thus the Chlorophyta is a sister taxon to the plants; sometimes the Chlorophyta, the Charophyta, and land plants are grouped together as the Viridiplantae. read more

Primarily, algae are not highly differentiated in the way that plants are, according to the authors of"Algae: Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Biotechnology, 2nd Ed." (CRC Press, 2014). That is to say, they lack true roots, stems and leaves, and a vascular system to circulate water and nutrients throughout their bodies. read more

Reproduction could not be more different for plants and algae. Plants have complex, multi-cellular reproductive systems and some even require the assistance of wind, birds, or bugs for pollination. Algae, comparatively, can reproduce through tiny spores or even by replication or the growth of broken pieces. read more