Chlorophyta

Chlorophyta are green algae that belong to the supergroup Archaeplastida. It contains chlorophyll a and b in the same proportion as in higher plants. It also contains beta carotene (yellow pigment) and xanthophylls (yellow and brown pigments). Its morphological forms include unicellular, multicellular, colonial, and coenocytic forms. Cells of Chlorophyta include chloroplasts and nuclei. They can be uninucleated or multinucleated. Most of the Chlorophyta are aquatic and occur in marine and freshwater habitats. Some are terrestrial, growing on the soil, rocks, and trees. Others are symbiotic with fungi forming lichens. Additionally, some Chlorophyta such as Chlorella are symbiotic with animals.

Furthermore, Chlorophyta reserves food in the form of starch, fat, and oils, similar to higher plants. asexual reproduction of Chlorophyta occurs in the form of binary fission, fragmentation, budding, or forming motile spores called zoospores. In comparison, sexual reproduction occurs in forms of isogamy, anisogamy, or oogamy. Many Chlorophyta shows alterations between haploid and diploid phases. The haploid phase forms gametangia while the diploid phase forms zoospores. Others undergo meiosis of the zygote.