An alga having chlorophyll a, floridean starch as storage product and lacking flagellate cells belongs to the class:
Phaeophyceae
Chlorophyceae
Rhodophyceae
Xanthophyceae
An alga having chlorophyll a, floridean starch as a storage product, and lacking flagellate cells belongs to the class Rhodophyceae, also known as red algae.
Red algae are a group of algae that typically have a red or purplish colour due to the presence of pigments such as chlorophyll a and accessory pigments like phycoerythrin and phycocyanin. They are characterised by the presence of floridean starch, a unique type of storage product found in their cells.
Unlike some other types of algae, red algae generally lack flagellate cells. Instead, they have complex cell walls and rely on other mechanisms for movement and dispersal, such as water currents or the growth of their filaments.
The class Rhodophyceae includes a diverse range of red algae species, many of which are found in marine environments. They play important ecological roles in marine ecosystems and have various economic uses, including as a source of food, agar, and carrageenan. Hence, the correct answer is option 3.