Galanthus nivalis Galanthus nivalis Galanthus nivalis, the snowdrop or common snowdrop, is the best-known and most widespread of the 20 species in its genus, "Galanthus". Snowdrops are among the first bulbs to bloom in spring and can form impressive carpets of white in areas where they are native or have been naturalised. They should not be confused with the snowflakes, in the genera "Leucojum" and "Acis". The generic name "Galanthus", from the Greek "gala" (milk) and "anthos" (flower), was given to the genus by Carl Linnaeus in 1735. He described "Galanthus nivalis" in his "" published in 1753. The epithet means "of
Chlamydomonas nivalis cell in combination with inorganic material could enhance the darkening over the snow and reduce the surface area of white snow. Due to the absorption of solar energy by the alga, albedo would be reduced and the darker areas on the snow where the blooms form would melt more rapidly. As a result, populations of "C. nivalis" would increase, creating a feedback loop that amplifies melting and reduces sunlight absorbance which contributes to glacier retreat and lowering albedo, as shown experimentally. This is concerning to environmentalists and climate scientists. "C. nivalis" can be used as a model species for studying