Guide to Staurosirella

The valves of Staurosirella are oval, linear or cruciform. Striae are composed of lineolate areolae. Although it is difficult to resolve the lineolae in the light microscope, they are characteristically broad, and "pearly" in LM. One to two apical porefields are present. Rimoportulae are absent. Neighboring cells may be linked together at valve faces to form colonies.

Staurosirella includes the former Fragilaria lapponica, F. pinnata, F. leptostauron and their allies. Cells attach to substrates by short stalks secreted by the apical porefield. Members of the genus are common in both lentic and lotic waters.