The Oedogoniales are an order of filamentous freshwater green algae of the class Chlorophyceae. The order is well-defined and has several unique features, including asexual reproduction with

zoospore A zoospore is a motile asexual spore that uses a flagellum for locomotion. Also called a swarm spore, these spores are created by some protists, bacteria, and fungi to propagate themselves. Diversity Flagella types Zoospores may possess one or ...

s that possess stephanokont flagella: numerous short flagella arranged in a subapical whorl. The oedogoniales have a highly specialized type of oogamy, and an elaborate method of cell division which results in the accumulation of apical caps.

The order comprises one family, Oedogoniaceae, with three genera. Some common features among these genera may be obscure. The hairs of ''Bulbochaete'' and the heterotrichous system ''Oedocladium'' are similar to Chaetophorales, with which they may share a distant relationship. Of the genus
Oedogonium
' there are over 330 species, about 70 species of ''Bulbochaete'', and 10 species of ''Oedocladium''. More than half of these species are known to North America.Tiffany, L. H. (1955). ''Geographic Distribution of the North American Species of the Oedogoniaceae''. American Journal of Botany. pps. 293-4. Many of the species are used by aquarium owners. Members of the order usually inhabit still waters such as lakes and ponds, rather than rivers and streams. The oedogoniales include free-living and

epiphytic An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

members on other algae or freshwater angiosperms.

Notes

Chlorophyceae families Oedogoniales {{Chlorophyceae-stub