sowbread

/'saubred/

Thân thiện

A small cluster of pink sowbread blooms in a sun-dappled forest clearing.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A common wild European cyclamen with pink flowers: "Sowbread" refers specifically to a perennial plant species, Cyclamen hederifolium (formerly Cyclamen neapolitanum), native to woodland areas in Europe. It is characterized by its pink flowers and ivy-shaped leaves that appear after flowering. The name originates from the belief that wild boars (sows) would eat the plant's tubers.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • We found a patch of sowbread growing beneath the oak trees.
  • The delicate pink flowers of sowbread are a common sight in autumn forests.

Advanced Usage

• Botanical Context: In botanical texts, "sowbread" is used as a common name to distinguish from other cyclamen species.
  • The study compared the tuber morphology of sowbread to that of the florist's cyclamen.

Variants and Related Words

• Cyclamen (n): The genus to which sowbread belongs, encompassing many species cultivated as houseplants.
  • She has a collection of cyclamen, including the hardy sowbread variety.

Synonyms

• Cyclamen hederifolium (n): The scientific botanical name.
• Neapolitan cyclamen (n): An older common name based on a previous scientific classification.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "sowbread" is highly specific and is not used in general conversation. It is primarily found in botanical, horticultural, or literary contexts describing European flora. It does not refer to bread or food in a modern culinary sense.

Học thuật

Noun

1. common wild European cyclamen with pink flowers

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Cyclamen hederifolium
• Cyclamen neopolitanum