What is "hydroidea"

Hydroidea \Hy*droi"de*a\, n. pl. [NL. See Hydra, and -oid.] (Zo["o]l.) An extensive order of Hydrozoa or Acaleph[ae]. [Written also Hydroida.]

Note: This order includes the hydras and the free-swimming hydromedus[ae], together with a great variety of marine attached hydroids, many of which grow up into large, elegantly branched forms, consisting of a vast number of zooids (hydranths, gonophores, etc.), united by hollow stems. All the zooids of a colony are produced from one primary zooid, by successive buddings. The Siphonophora have also been included in this order by some writers. See Gymnoblastea, Hydromedusa, Gonosome, Gonotheca.

Hydroidea is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family.

There is only one known species, Hydroidea elsiae, native to South Africa.