Algae and Their Common Names

Green Algae (Chlorophyta)

• Chlorella:       
• Common name :- Green ball algae
• Used in protein supplements, biofuel, water purification

• Spirogyra:
• Common name:- Water silk/Pond scum
• Found in freshwater 
• used in photosynthetic study

• Ulva
• Common name: - Sea lettuce
• Edible used in salads in coastal regions

• Cladophora :-
• Common name::- Green hair algae
• Grows in polluted water. 

• Chlamydomonas :-
• Model organism in genetic research and photosynthetic studies. 

• Volvox:-
• Common name:- Rolling algae
• Colonial alga; studied in evolutionary research. 

• Enteromorpha
• Common name:- Green thread algae
• Found in marine and brackish water. 

• Caulerpa:-
• Common name:- Sea grape
• Edible, Ornamental, invasive in some area. 

• Codium:-
• Common name:- Dead man's fingers
• Edible in some countries,  Marine algae

Blue green algae ( Cyanobacteria) 

• Oscillatoria:- 
• Common name:- Blue-green algae
• Water purification and oxygen production. 

• Anabaena
• Common name :- Blue-green algae 
• Nitrogen fixer; found in rice fields. 

• Nostoc:-
• Common name:- Star jelly
• Nitrogen fixer; also edible in some regions. 

• Spirulina (Arthrospira) :-
• Common name :- superfood algae
• Superfood rich in protein. 

• Aphanizomenon
• Found in fresh water bloom, Biofertilizer. 

• Trichodesmium
• Common name:- Sawdust of the sea
• Nitrogen fixer in oceans. 

Red algae - ( Rhodophyta) 

• Rhodymenia:-
• Common name :-Red weed
• Used in agar production and food. 

• Gelidium:-
•  Main source of agar. 

• Gracilaria:-
• Agar production; aquaculture feed. 

• Porphyra:-
• Common name:- Nori
• Used in sushi (edible seaweed). 

• Polysiphonia,:-
• Study in algae reproduction. 

• Chondrus crispus:-
• Common name:- Irish moss
• Carrageenan production ( used in food and pharma) . 

Brown algae -Phaeophyta

• Sargassum:-
• Common name :-Gulfweed
• Used in fertilizers, biofuels, habitat for marine life. 

• Fucus:-
• Common name:-Rockweed 
• Source of alginates for cosmetic and medicine. 

• Laminaria:-
• Common name:- Kelp
• Edible; used in food and cosmetics, Alginate source.

• Macrocystis :-
• Common name:- Giant kelp
• Source of alginate; forms kelp forests. 

• Dictyota:-
• Medicinal potential and coastal ecosystem. 

• Turbinaria
• Coral reef support,  rich in iodine. 

• Diatoms (Bacillariophyta) 

• Navicula, pinnularia:-
• Common name:- Diatoms
• Used in filters, polishes, paints, Diatomaceous earth. 

• Coscinodiscus:-
• Disc shaped diatoms
• Silica shell studied under microscope.