Pearlwort

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small herbaceous plant belonging to the carnation family characterized by tiny, white or greenish flowers and small, shiny seed capsules often found in moist or rocky habitats
2. A low-growing perennial plant with delicate flowers and glossy seeds, typically thriving in damp areas, belonging to the family that includes carnations and pinks
3. A small flowering plant with slender stems and minute blossoms, producing smooth, bead-like fruit akin to pearls, commonly inhabiting wet or calcareous soils

Etymology: Pearlwort is about as literal as plant names get: "pearl" plus "wort," the Old English word for a herb or plant. The name points to the plant's small, round, shiny seed capsules, which were thought to look like pearls, and "wort" is the old general word for a plant used in names such as "St John's wort" and "mugwort." The plant itself is a low, often mat-forming herb in the carnation family, with tiny white or greenish flowers. Its small seed capsules are the feature that gave it the name, and it is commonly found in moist or rocky places.

Synonyms: Sagina