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Parallela (Palmellaceae)

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Diagnostic features

Colonial chlorophyte with spherical to ovoid cells in rows set in mucilage, usually creating colonies resembling a flat sheet of loosely-connected ribbons.  Another species has cell walls in two halves, and does not form a sheet, but this is so far unknown from New Zealand.  Chloroplasts green, lobed, always lacking pyrenoids. This genus was first described from New Zealand, but is now known to be world wide.

[Parallela], Heriot Burn, south Otago, X35. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua Image
Parallela, Heriot Burn, south Otago, X35. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua
[Parallela], Heriot Burn, south Otago, X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua Image
Parallela, Heriot Burn, south Otago, X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua

Typical habitats

Found in streams and rivers of moderate to good water quality

Classification

Kingdom Plantae
Phylum Chlorophyta
Class Chlorophyceae
Order Chlamydomonadales
Family Palmellaceae
Common name Green algae