Cyanobacteria

**Definition:** A phylum of oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria comprised of unicellular to multicellular bacteria possessing CHLOROPHYLL a and carrying out oxygenic PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Cyanobacteria are the only known organisms capable of fixing both CARBON DIOXIDE (in the presence of light) and NITROGEN. Cell morphology can include nitrogen-fixing heterocysts and/or resting cells called akinetes. Formerly called blue-green algae, cyanobacteria were traditionally treated as ALGAE.

**Tree numbers:** - B03.280 - B03.440.475.100

**Synonyms:** - Algae, Blue Green - Blue Green Algae - Blue-Green Algae - Algae, Blue-Green - Cyanophyceae - Bacteria, Blue Green - Bacteria, Blue-Green - Blue Green Bacteria - Blue-Green Bacteria