Cryptophyte

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In the Raunkiær system for classifying plants, a cryptophyte is a plant whose growth-points (buds) survive seasons with adverse conditions (e.g., cold seasons, dry seasons) below ground or under water. It is a small (200 species) but ecologically important primary producer in deep waters. Like Euglenoids, Cryptophytes appear to have been originated from symbiosis of heterotrophic host and red algae. They consist of single cell flagellates of 2 unequal lengths.