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penstemon

(pen stē′mən, pen′stə-)

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noun

any of a large genus (Penstemon) of chiefly North American plants of the figwort family, having five stamens, the fifth of which is bearded and sterile, and bearing tubular, showy, white, pink, red, blue, or purple flowers

Origin: ModL < Gr penta-, five + stēmōn, warp: see stamen

See penstemon in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

Any of numerous plants of the genus Penstemon, native to North America and eastern Asia, having opposite leaves, flowers with a usually two-lipped, variously colored corolla, and capsules containing many seeds. Also called beardtongue.

Origin:

Origin: New Latin Pēnstēmōn, genus name

Origin: : Greek pente, five; see penk^we in Indo-European roots

Origin: + Greek stēmōn, thread; see stā- in Indo-European roots

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