Thallus, from Latinized Greek θαλλός (thallos), meaning a green shoot or twig, is an undifferentiated vegetative tissue of some non-mobile organisms, many of which were previously known as the thallophytes. An organism or structure resembling a thallus is called thalloid, thallodal, thalliform, thalline, or thallose.
A thallus usually names the entire body of a multicellular non-moving organism in which there is no organization of the tissues into organs.[1] Even though thalli do not have organized and distinct parts (leaves, roots, and stems) as do the vascular plants, they may have analogous structures that resemble their vascular "equivalents". The analogous structures have similar function or macroscopic structure, but different microscopic structure; for example, no thallus has vascular tissue.
Although a thallus is largely undifferentiated in terms of its anatomy, there can be visible differences and functional differences. A kelp, for example, may have its thallus divided into three regions. The parts of a kelp thallus include the holdfast (anchor), stipe (supports the blades) and the blades (for photosynthesis).
The thallus of a fungus is usually called a mycelium. A thallus is also commonly used to refer to the vegetative body of a lichen. In seaweed, thallus is sometimes also called frond.
The gametophyte of some non-thallophyte plants -- clubmosses, horsetails, and ferns is termed "prothallus".
References
- ^ Plant Morphology. New York: McGraw-Hill Book company. 1953. p. 7.
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