Galanthus Spanish and French Pyrenees in the west through to the Caucasus and Iran in the east, and south to Sicily, the Peloponnese and the Aegean, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria. The northern limit is uncertain because "G. nivalis" has been widely introduced and cultivated throughout Europe. "G. nivalis" and some other species valued as ornamentals have become widely naturalized in Europe, North America and other regions. "Galanthus nivalis" is the best-known and most widespread representative of the genus "Galanthus". It is native to a large area of Europe, stretching from the Pyrenees in the west, through France and Germany to Poland
Luzula nivalis is the species's basionym and was used before "L. arctica". "Luzula nivalis" is a relatively small perennial herbaceous plant (or "herb") which grows to heights of between in a caespitose fashion. "L. nivalis "has fibrous roots and ascending rhizomes, older plants have vertical stems either at ground level or underground; the plant base is straw-brown/pale castaneous brown in colour. The plant is subglabrous with erect, aerial stems and numerous alternate basal leaves. These crowded leaves are marcescent, flat, remain for many years, usually up to long and wide." L. nivalis" also has 1–2 cauline leaves which are long; both leaf