Family (Scenedesmaceae): Colonies of fixed number of cells (4, 8, 16, 32, or more) arranged 2- or 3-dimensionally;
cells spherical, ellipsoidal, polygonal, etc. in shape; chloroplasts 1 or several, plate-like in shape,
with 1 pyrenoid; reproduction only by asexual autospores.
Genus: Colonies spherical, with inner empty space; cells attached to each other by a protrusion of
cell wall, arranged in a single layer; cell body mostly spherical with some conical or grobular
bulges; chloroplasts cup-shaped with a pyrenoid; reproduction by asexual coenobium
(Illustrations of The Japanese Fresh-water Algae, 1977).
50 μm
100 μm
150 μm; x 400 :
31 μm
63 μm
94 μm; x 640
Coelastrum reticulatum, Uruguay 1999, photo by Y. Tsukii
