Galanthus leaves (vernation). In the era of molecular phylogenetics this characteristic has been shown to be unreliable and now seven moleculary defined clades are recognised corresponding to the biogeographical distribution of species. New species continue to be discovered. Most species flower in winter, before the vernal equinox (20 or 21 March in the Northern Hemisphere), but some flower in early spring and late autumn. Snowdrops are sometimes confused with the two related genera within the tribe Galantheae, snowflakes "Leucojum" and "Acis". All species of "Galanthus" are perennial petaloid herbaceous bulbous (growing from bulbs) monocot plants. The genus is characterised by the
Chlamydomonas nivalis become one of the most well-studied snow algae. Although its taxonomy is still being settled, the life cycle of this snow algae is now much better understood. The historical disputes about the classification and misclassification of specimens have resulted in a number of names from older publications that all mean to refer to "C. nivalis". These are: "Uredo nivalis", "Sphaerella nivalis", "Protococcus nivalis", and "Haematococcus nivalis". "C. nivalis" has been reported worldwide in mountainous regions, polar regions, or snowfields of every continent. It is the most abundant snow algae and typically composes the majority of cells identified in specimens taken