STUDIES ON THE FRESH-WATER ALGAE OF MAKKAH AREA, SAUDI-ARABIA

The composition and distribution of fresh-water algae in Makkah area o f Saudi Arabia were investigated. Of a total number of 107 species rec orded, 37 belong to Cyanophyta, 34 to Bacillariophyta, 29 to Chlorophy ta, 6 to Euglenophyta and 1 to Pyrrhophyta. The most common genera wer e Oscillatoria (14 spp.), Spirogyra (8 spp.), Navicula (7 spp.), Nitzs chia (7 spp.), Gloeocapsa and Euglena (each with 4 spp.) where Merismo pedia elegans, Oscillatoria amphibia and O. tenuis were most widely di stributed. Al-Taif locality had 64 algal species. Among the dominant a lgae in Makkah area, the green alga Oedogonium gracilis was chemically investigated and was characterized by having high amount of ash and p rotein, 17 amino acids where glutamic acid, alanine, aspartic acid and leucine were predominant.