Morphology, growth and perennation in the genus Chlorogloeopsis (Stigonematales)

Chlorogloeopsis fritschii Mitra and Pandey (1966) belongs to the order Stigonematales, Cyanophyta, which possess complicated morphology and filamentous organization. Present communication deals with the morphological observation, growth and perennating mechanism in Chlorogloeopsis fritschii Mitra and Pandey (1966) under culture conditions. Young colonies are microscopic and composed of rounded or irregular cell packets on solid agar surface but shows bottom attached growth in liquid medium. At later stage due to maturation accumulation of numerous cells, colonies become larger in size with darker central portion and lighter peripheral portion on agar surface but become free floating in liquid. At very old stage of growth about six months or more most of the colonies and cluster of cells form characteristic cell packets. These packets represent perennating akinetes like cells and germinate by division in various planes and liberate 1, 2, 3 or 4 endospore by breaking of wall. The endospores germinate to forms chlorogloeopsoid like cells.