.Enteromorpha is a green alga that is more commonly found in marine environments but can also be found in freshwater envirnments, it can also survive in temperatures from 30C- 2C. I first encountered this alga in a pond in one of the parks in Ilford some years ago.This specimen was found in great quantities in a dyke in the south east of England near a small village called Orford. The dyke was used by cattle for drinking water and there was much evidence for large amounts of effluence in this dyke from the farmland next door. The dyke was teaming with all manner of creatures and plants, an ideal spot to take some photographs. The younger filaments were attached to the substratum while the older and much larger and thicker specimens were floating freely on the surface. The alga is cylindrical in nature which may aid it in keeping buoyant.The walls of the plant are one cell thick with each cell having one parietal chloroplast. The best views of this rather large alga are with the naked eye. Enteromorpha can grow very long but the sections that I found were in the region of 20 centimetres or more and were about 2 centimetres across. The name Enteromorpha intestinalis is an apt name for this species of alga.It can reproduce by fragmentation, sexual and asexual methods.

The two photographs were taken with a 90mm macro lens with the specimens placed in a white laboratory tray.

This is a close up of the individual cells that make up the cylindrical walls of the thalli.

This small lake at Holkham Hall in Norfolk was completely filled with Enteromorpha intestinalis. Norfolk seems to be a pretty good place to find this alga especially in the many dykes and canals that are a feature of this part of England.

Introduction to photomicrography.