Brown algae is characterised by the presence of (a) fucoxanthin (b) haematochrome (c) phycocyanin (d) phycoerythrin.
Option A Brown algae are the members of the Class Phaeophyceae. Their chromatopores are ellipsoidal or discoid. They contain chlorophyll a, chl c, b and ccarotenes and xanthophyll pigments (e.g., lutein, flavoxanthin, violaxanthin). They also contain large amount of a brown pigment – fucoxanthin which masks the green colour of chlorophyll pigment. This gives characteristic brown colour to these plants, hence the name brown algae.
