cyanobacterium

1 definition found

cyanobacterium - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  cyanobacterium \cyanobacterium\ pl. cyanobacteria
  \cyanobacteria\ [from the pigment phycocyanin.]
     any of a group of photosynthetic autotrophic prokaryotic
     microorganisms possessing characteristics of both bacteria
     and plants. When classed as bacteria, they are assigned to
     the Cyanobacteria; when classed as plants, they are assigned
     to the Cyanophyta. They were earlier named blue-green algae
     , a term less used now in technical discussions. Since
     the chlorophyll within the cyanobacteria is diffused
     throughout the cell, rather than being contained in
     chloroplasts, they are no longer thought of as true plants.
     [PJC]