Luticula terrestris gen. et sp. nov. (Kornmanniaceae, Ulvales, Chlorophyta), a soil green algal genus from China

SUMMARY Soil algae are highly diverse and widely distributed, and play important roles in ecosystem. In the present study, two strains of green algae were obtained from the soil surface at Xiantao, Hubei and Xishuangbanna, Yunnan. Comparisons based on molecular sequencing and morphological observations revealed no differences between the two strains. The young cells are almost unicellular spherical, and the mature thalli comprise branched filaments, generally bilaterally branched, or sometimes unilaterally branched. A phylogenetic tree based on 18S rDNA and tuf A cpDNA sequences showed that the isolates form a well‐supported independent branch and different from the nearest genera, Pseudendoclonium , Lithotrichon and Tellamia . Based on a combination of morphological similarities (distal cell aspect ratio, branched filaments and number of nuclei) and differences (habitat and vegetative cell diameter), we propose Luticula terrestris gen. et sp. nov. within Kornmanniaceae.