chlorophyte

Chlorophyte is a term used for green algae belonging to the division Chlorophyta, a diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotes. Chlorophytes inhabit freshwater and marine environments and also occur in damp terrestrial habitats. They range from single-celled organisms such as Chlamydomonas to colonial forms like Volvox and from filaments like Spirogyra to larger thalli such as Ulva (sea lettuce).

Key characteristics include chloroplasts with chlorophyll a and b, storage of energy as starch within plastids, cell walls composed of cellulose, and often two flagella in the motile stages. They are part of the larger clade Viridiplantae and, in many classifications, are contrasted with the streptophyte green algae that gave rise to land plants; chlorophytes can be haplontic or diplontic and show diverse life cycles, including isogamous, anisogamous, or oogamous sexual reproduction.

Taxonomy is complex and varies by system; Chlorophyta is divided into several classes such as Ulvophyceae, Chlorophyceae, and Trebouxiophyceae, among others. The term chlorophyte is often used more loosely to refer to green algae that are not closely allied to land-plant relatives (charophytes).

Ecology and practical significance: as primary producers, chlorophytes play crucial roles in aquatic ecosystems, contributing to carbon cycling and forming biofilms. Some species are cultivated for food supplements and biotechnology; the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is widely used in genetic and photosynthesis research, while Chlorella spp. are studied for nutrition and biofuel applications.