Definition

Noun 1. A species of flowering plant: Salvia pratensis is a tall, perennial herb belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is native to Europe and Western Asia and is characterized by its violet-blue flowers. It is commonly found growing in open grasslands and meadows.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The meadow was dotted with the vibrant violet-blue spikes of Salvia pratensis. (The meadow was dotted with the vibrant violet-blue spikes of meadow clary.)
  • Botanists study Salvia pratensis for its ecological role in grassland habitats. (Botanists study meadow clary for its ecological role in grassland habitats.)
  • This garden cultivar was developed from the wild Salvia pratensis. (This garden cultivar was developed from the wild meadow sage.)

Advanced Usage

• In botanical taxonomy: The name is used in its full binomial form ( L., where "L." stands for Linnaeus, the naming authority) in scientific literature to precisely identify the species.
  • The study confirmed the population as Salvia pratensis L., not a related hybrid. (The study confirmed the population as Salvia pratensis L., not a related hybrid.)

Variants and Related Words

• Common Names: Meadow clary, meadow sage.
  • While its scientific name is Salvia pratensis, gardeners often call it meadow sage. (While its scientific name is meadow clary, gardeners often call it meadow sage.)
• Related Species: (the genus name for all sage plants), (common sage, used in cooking), (scarlet sage, an ornamental plant).

Synonyms

• Meadow clary
• Meadow sage

Notes on Usage

• Scientific Name Convention: In formal writing, the genus name () is capitalized, the species epithet () is not, and the entire name is typically italicized. In common usage, especially for gardeners, the common names "meadow clary" or "meadow sage" are preferred.
• Specificity: The term Salvia pratensis refers specifically to this one species. It should not be used interchangeably for other blue-flowered salvias or sage plants without proper identification.

Noun

1. tall perennial Old World salvia with violet-blue flowers; found in open grasslands