SINCE 1828
conferva
noun
con·fer·va
| \ kənˈfərvə\
Definition of conferva
1
capitalized,
in some especially former classifications
: a genus of filamentous green algae containing a number of species of doubtful relationship many of which are now usually placed in the genus Tribonema
2
plural confervae\ -(ˌ)vē\
: an alga of the genus Tribonema
broadly
: any of various filamentous algae that form scums in still or sluggish fresh water
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