Franceia

Franceia consists of solitary cells in a thin mucilaginous envelope (rarely two to four cells which are retained within the expanded mother cell wall). Cells are oval to ellipsoid, 3.5–15 μm long, with several spines of variable length distributed irregularly over the cell wall. Young cells contain a single chloroplast, while older cells contain multiple; chloroplasts are parietal, with one often indistinct pyrenoid. Asexual reproduction occurs by the formation of two, four or eight autospores which form inside the mother cell wall. Species include: • Franceia armata • Franceia droescheri ==References==