Green algae

The green algae (singular: green alga) are a large, informal grouping of algae consisting of the Chlorophyte and Charophyte algae, which are now placed in separate Divisions. The land plants or Embryophytes are thought to have emerged from the Charophytes. Therefore, cladistically, Embryophytes belong to green algae as well. However, as the Embryophytes are traditionally classified as neither algae nor green algae, green algae are a paraphyletic group. The clade that includes both green algae and embryophytes is monophyletic and is referred to as the clade Viridiplantae and as the kingdom Plantae. The green algae include unicellular and colonial flagellates, most with two flagella per cell, as well as various colonial, coccoid and filamentous forms, and macroscopic, multicellular seaweeds.

Green algae

The green algae (singular: green alga) are a large, informal grouping of algae consisting of the Chlorophyte and Charophyte algae, which are now placed in separate Divisions. The land plants or Embryophytes are thought to have emerged from the Charophytes. Therefore, cladistically, Embryophytes belong to green algae as well. However, as the Embryophytes are traditionally classified as neither algae nor green algae, green algae are a paraphyletic group. The clade that includes both green algae and embryophytes is monophyletic and is referred to as the clade Viridiplantae and as the kingdom Plantae. The green algae include unicellular and colonial flagellates, most with two flagella per cell, as well as various colonial, coccoid and filamentous forms, and macroscopic, multicellular seaweeds.