Ochrophyta

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of eukaryotic algae known for their yellow-green or brown pigments
2. organisms often dwelling in freshwater or marine environments
3. a category that includes species like diatoms and chrysophytes

Etymology: Ochrophyta is a scientific coinage, not an ancient word. It was built in the modern era from two Greek elements: "ókhros", meaning pale yellow or ochre, and "phyton", meaning plant. The name refers to the golden-brown pigments, chiefly fucoxanthin, that give these organisms their colour, and it was chosen to name a whole group of algae whose members share that pigment. The group is a major one. It includes diatoms, the glass-shelled microalgae that build vast sediments, along with kelps, which form the underwater forests of cold coasts. Its members were long grouped under older, looser labels such as "brown algae" or "golden algae," and the newer name was created to give the whole assemblage a single, precise title.

Synonyms: golden algae, brown algae