Domain Eukaryota | Scientific name Trentepohlia Rank Genus | |
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Similar Trentepohliales, Trentepohlia aurea, Green algae, Trebouxia, Ulvophyceae | ||
Trentepohlia is a genus of filamentous chlorophyte green algae in the family Trentepohliaceae, living free on terrestrial supports such as tree trunks and wet rocks or symbiotically in lichens. The filaments of Trentepohlia have a strong orange colour (photograph at right) caused by the presence of large quantities of carotenoid pigments which mask the green of the chlorophyll.
Trentepohlia species form associations with fungal hyphae, and are widespread phycobionts in lichens, such as the "secret writing" crustose lichen genera Graphis, Graphina, Gyalecta and Opegrapha.
Trentepohliaceous photobionts are abundant in tropical and subtropical floras because of their vulnerability to cold damage, however, some Trentepohlia species do occur in temperate environments and in fact they are present in almost all continents.
