CHLORELLA
(Chlor green: ella diminutive or affection)
Common Indian species- C. conglomerata, C. vulgaris, C. parasitica (parasitic),C. conductrix.
Systematic Position:
Class : Chlorophyceae
Order : Chlorococcales
Family : Chlorellaceae
Genus : Chlorella
Common Occurrence: Occurs in fresh water, on damp soil or damp walls. C. zoochlorella is found in the cells of Hydra and Paramecium etc.
Comments :-
External Morphology:
1. It is a unicellular, non-motile, green alga.
2. The cells are solitary and very small.
3. Each cell is spherical, globular or ellipsoidal in shape.
4. A cell is surrounded by a cellulose cell wall.
5. A cup-shaped or band-shaped chloroplast is present in each cell.
6. Cells are generally devoid of pyrenoid.
7. Nucleus is centrally located in the cell.
Reproduction:
8. Only asexual method of reproduction is present.
9. Two, four or eight spores are present in each cell having the same structure as that of the parent cell. These are called autospores.
10. Each autospore is an uninucleate, non-motile body.
Features of special interest in the genus:
1. Chlorella is used in many physiological experiments.
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