''Prasiola stipitata'' is a small

green alga The green algae (singular: green alga) are a group consisting of the Prasinodermophyta and its unnamed sister which contains the Chlorophyta and Charophyta/Streptophyta. The land plants (Embryophytes) have emerged deep in the Charophyte alga as ...

Description

This alga grows to no more than 1 centimeter long, is fan shaped with a distinct stipe. The vegetative frond is monostromatic. The cells in the blade are arranged in packets of 4 or more. In colour the fronds are dark green.Burrows, E.M. 1991. ''Seaweeds of the British Isles Volume 2 Chlorophyta.'' Natural History Museum, London

Habitat

''P. stipitata'' thrives in high-nutrient habitats and is therefore often found in the spray water zone of shores frequented by sea birds.

Distribution

Rather erratic in its distribution. Recorded mostly from cold-temperate regions on both hemispheres, e.g. Iceland, the Faroes, Atlantic coasts of North America and Europe, including

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

and

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, as well as from Australia and New Zealand.

Reproduction

Sexual and asexual plants have been recorded.

References

Prasiolales {{Alga-stub