spirogyra

American  

[spahy-ruh-jahy-ruh] / ˌspaɪ rəˈdʒaɪ rə /

noun

Botany.

1. a widely distributed filamentous freshwater green alga of the genus Spirogyra.

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spirogyra British  

/ ˌspaɪrəˈdʒaɪərə /

noun

1. any green freshwater multicellular alga of the genus Spirogyra, consisting of minute filaments containing spirally coiled chloroplasts

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spirogyra Scientific  

/ spī′rə-jī′rə /

1. Any of a genus of filamentous freshwater green algae having cylindrically shaped cells with spiral-shaped bands of chloroplasts. Species of Spirogyra reproduce asexually by cell division and fragmentation and sexually by conjugation. They form green scum on ponds, floated by the oxygen produced by photosynthesis.

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Etymology

Origin of spirogyra

1895–1900; < New Latin, equivalent to spiro- spiro- ² + -gyra, alteration of Greek gŷros circle or gȳrós round