Phaeophyceae (Brown algae) are eukaryotic marine algae. The body consists of branched filamentous structure in lower forms (e.g., Ectocarpus) and parenchymatous structure in higher forms (e.g., Sargassum). The plant body is often differentiated into holdfast, stipe and lamina (frond). Lamina may be simple or divided variously and is photosynthetic.