Identify that alga:
Web-based key to genera -10: colonies and coenobia

Algal Search Sitemap and quick links

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 (search1)
filaments

(search2)
branched
+chloroplast
(search3)
unbranched
+chloroplast
(search4)
 
 
Colonies and coenobia
+chloroplast
(search10)
planktonic,
with sheath  
(search11)
planktonic,
without sheath  
(search12)
 attached
cushion
(search13)
 attached,
 flat plate
(search13) 
attached,
sheath
(search14)
 
 
Colonies and coenobia : Cyanobacteria
(search21)
planktonic,
with sheath
(search21)
 
 
 
 
 
Unicells

(under development)
 + chloroplast(s)
(search31)
(under development)
Desmids

(searchdesmid)
non-flagellate cells
without case
(under development)
 in silica case
= diatoms
(under development)
flagellate cells

(under development) 
 
 
  

no chloroplast:
Cyanobacteria
(search31)
 
  
 
 

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  Specimen is a: Click on the thumbnail for a larger image  
  colony (more than 2 cells in a group), or sometimes more precisely a coenobium: colony cells with chloroplasts
cells without chloroplasts
  (a fixed number of cells, usually a multiple of 4, often arranged in a regular manner) coenobium
 
  Colony: cells with chloroplasts  
 

colony planktonic: cells enclosed in a mucilage sheath or no mucilage sheath
 

colony attached, forming a round cushion of cells
 

colony attached, in a globular sheath
 

colony attached, forming a flat (pseudo)parenchymatous plate

 a parenchymatous plate is composed of cells which are roughly the same width as length, joined to all their neighbours, while pseudoparenchymatous colonies are composed of very closely packed filaments
      parenchymatous
pseudoparenchymatous
       

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John Kinross