[1] Umbraulva is closely related to Ulva, which due to wide distributions, high carbohydrate levels, and a lack of lignin, is a good candidate for use in biofuel, bioremediation, carbon sequestration, and animal feed production.

The genus was proposed based on the olive-green colour of the thalli of the three species, their deep-water subtidal habitat, the presence of the carotenoid siphonaxanthin in their blades, and the divergence of their internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and small subunit ribosomal (SSU) DNA sequences from other Ulva species.

Umbraulva is widely distributed, and has been identified in Korea, Japan, China, France, Spain, Hawaii, Ireland, southern Britain, New Zealand, and the Mediterranean.

[1][3][4][5][6] Umbraulva species inhabit deep waters in the subtidal zone ranging from 3 m up to 125 m, where they grow upon rocks, shells, coralline algae, rhodoliths, and reefs.

[1][3][4][5][6] As an alga capable of photosynthesizing, similar to closely related members of the genus Ulva, Umbraulva plays an essential role as a primary producer, making biomass for consumption up the food chain by herbivores.

[8] Species of Umbraulva vary slightly in their appearances, but have similar morphologies as green multicellular blades of algae.

The shape of the thallus is variable, as it can be globular to sub-globular and funnel-shaped, with a rounded apex, or ellipsoidal and flat with radial perforations.

[1] Within the chloroplast, siphonaxanthin has been identified as an important accessory pigment to broaden the spectrum of light that can be used in photosynthesis.

[1][2][4][5][6] Further, investigations into DNA evidence, particularly ITS and SSU rDNA sequences, which are highly conserved and thus very specific to the given species, can be used to differentiate related groups.

[1] Groups in the Ulvaceae family closely related to Umbraulva have been under consideration for use in capturing carbon, bioremediation, and production of biofuels and feedstock because of their lack of lignin, large biomass, wide distribution, and high levels of carbohydrates.