Pl. algæ. [L. alga sea-weed.] A sea-weed; in pl. One of the great divisions of Cryptogamic plants, including sea-weeds and kindred fresh-water plants, and a few aerial species.
1551. Turner, Herbal (1568), 110. Alga whiche is a common name vnto a great parte of see herbes … is commonly called in englyshe see wrak.
a. 1637. B. Jonson, Masques at Crt. (T.). Oceanus was garlanded with alga, or sea-grass.
1660. Dryden, Astr. Red., 119. With alga who the sacred altar strews.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., The alga’s are some marine … others fluviatile.
1794. Martyn, Rousseau’s Bot., x. 114. Algæ, having … the seeds either like a meal on the leaves or inclosed in bladders.
1832. Lyell, Princ. Geol., II. 78. These banks of algæ in the Northern Atlantic.
1849. Mrs. Somerville, Connex. Phys. Sc., xxvii. 301. The snow itself … produces a red alga.
