Cells are elongated, cylindrical or slightly curved (20-28 times longer than their diameter). The cell ends are little dilated. The wall is not smooth due to the presence of small granules.The chloroplasts are 2- 3 tightly spiraling, narrow longitudinal bands, many pyrenoids.

Fresh waters, mainly acidic, soft. Reported from Eurasia and N. America.

Distribution:  as Genicularia elegans West & G.S.West
Europe: Britain (Brook & Williamson 2010), France (Kouwets 1999). Asia: China (Hu & Wei 2006).

Order Zygnematales. In: The Freshwater Algal Flora of the British Isles. An identification guide to freshwater and terrestrial algae., (John, D.M., Whitton, B.A. & Brook, A.J. Eds), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press., Brook A.J., e Johnson L.R., 2002, pp. 479-593.

A monograph on some British desmids. Order Zygnematales Suborder Zygonemoidiineae Family Zygnemataceae Subfamily Mesotaenioideae (Saccoderm desmids) and Suborder Closteriineae Family Peniaceae and Family Closteriaceae., Edited by J.H. Price & N.J. Evans. London: The Ray Society., Brook A.J., Williamson D.B., 2010, pp. [i-ii], iii-v [1-5], 6-364, 157 pls.

A check-list of desmids (Chlorophyta, Zygnemaphyceae) of France., Patrimoines Natureles 41:, Kouwets F.A.C., 1999, 1-148.

The freshwater algae of China. Systematics, taxonomy and ecology, China: www.sciencep.com., Hu H., Wei Y., 2006, 1-1023