The Palmellaceae are a family of green algae, specifically of the Chlamydomonadales.

Cells are usually spherical, more rarely ellipsoidal, ovoid, or bean-shaped.

Parietal chloroplasts may be cup-shaped or divided into smaller plates, while central chloroplasts may be dissected with radiating lobes or forming an irregular net-like mesh.

[2] Reproduction occurs via the formation of zoospores of morphology similar to those of the genus Dunaliella, which lack a true cell wall.

More rarely, aplanospores or simple vegetative cell division also occur.