Galanthus description as "Viola alba" or "Viola bulbosa" using Pliny's translation, and comments that the plant had originated in Italy and had "taken possession" in England "many years past". The genus was formally named "Galanthus" and described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, with the single species, "Galanthus nivalis", which is the type species. Consequently, Linnaeus is granted the botanical authority. In doing so, he distinguished this genus and species from "Leucojum" ("Leucojum bulbosum trifolium minus"), a name by which it had been previously known. In 1763 Adanson began a system of arranging genera in families. Using the synonym "Acrocorion" (also spelt
Chlamydomonas nivalis have been found on the surface of "C. nivalis" cysts. The unknown bacteria were not detected in control samples that did not contain "C. nivalis" which strongly suggests that it must be associated with the algae. Another bacterium, "Mesorhizobium loti", was found as contamination in a "C. nivalis" culture, but further testing suggested that this bacteria may be synthesizing vitamin B12 for the algae. In cryoconite holes "C. nivalis" can be found among bacteria, virus-like particles, ciliates, and Chlorophyte species. Ice worms have also been found to live preferentially under "C. nivalis" in glaciers, possibly using the algae as a