Foamflower

/ˈfoʊmˌflaʊər/ noun

Definition

A small shade-loving plant with delicate white or pink flowers that form airy, foam-like clusters, common in woodlands.

Etymology

From 'foam' + 'flower', a compound plant name referring to the appearance of the flower's frothy, aerated bloom clusters that resemble sea foam or lather.

Kelly Says

Foamflower demonstrates how common people named wild plants they encountered—by describing what they looked like—whereas botanical scientists would give it a Latin name like 'Tiarella,' showing two completely different naming systems for the same plant.

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