Prasiolaceae

Prasiolaceae is a family of green algae in the order Prasiolales.^[2] Members of this family are found in freshwater, terrestrial, and marine habitats.^[3]

Prasiolaceae
Prasiola stipitata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Chlorophyta
Class:	Trebouxiophyceae
Order:	Prasiolales
Family:	Prasiolaceae F.F.Blackman & A.G.Tansley
Genera[1]
Prasiococcus Prasiola Prasiolopsis Prasionella Prasionema Rosenvingiella Rosenvingiellopsis Schizogonium

Algae in the family Prasiolaceae consist of thalli with blades a single cell thick (i.e. monostromatic). Vegetative cells are polygonal with two to four cells arranged within a parent cell wall. Each cell has a single, stellate chloroplast and a central pyrenoid.^[4]

Traditionally, it was the only family in the order Prasiolales.^[5] However, molecular phylogenetics have shown that additional algae with simple morphologies, such as Stichococcus, also belong to the same clade as this family.^[6]

Phylogeny

Molecular phylogenetic studies suggest the following relationships:^[7]

	Prasiola + Prasiococcus Rosenvingiella Rosenvingiellopsis Prasionema Prasionella Prasiolopsis

Another, older study places Prasionella as sister to Rosenvingiella.^[5] The above cladogram excludes the genus Schizogonium, which is taxonomically problematic and likely a synonym of Rosenvingiella.^[8]