Algae and Plants
19
Anabaena cylindrica Lemmermann 1896
Order: Nostocales
Family: Nostocaceae
Common name: Not available.
Distribution: Europe, Asia, Australia
and New Zealand, North America
(AlgaeBase).
Habitat: Ponds, shallow water, and on
moist soil.
Description: Trichomes are straight
and are often aggregated to form a
blue-green colony. Mucilage is thin and
usually colorless, but sometimes with a
pale yellow-brown tinge. Mucilage is
more evident in aged material, especially around heterocysts and akinetes.
Cells  are subspherical or ellipsoidal,
measuring 3–4  µm wide and 5–7  µm
in length. Akinetes  are  cylindrical,
5–8 µm wide, and 21–30 µm long. The
polysaccharides produced by this species may be of great use in  medical
applications (Bishop et al., 1954).
Nutritional Facts
Proximate Composition (% DM)
VW HW SW SM
CHO a
18
62
41 66
Amino compounds 65
4
24
5
Lipid
3
15
11
0
Ash
2.5
2
2
7
Moisture
3
2.5
2
8
VW, vegetative wall; HW, heterocyst wall;
SW, spore wall; SM, sheath material.
a Carbohydrate.
Source: Data from Dunn and Wolk (1970).