sparmannia
sparmannia Lexical Profile
• noun
A genus of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the mallow family (Malvaceae), native primarily to South Africa, characterized by large, softly hairy, heart-shaped leaves and clusters of white flowers with prominent yellow and red stamens.
"During our botanical tour of the conservatory, the guide pointed out a flourishing sparmannia in the tropical greenhouse."
An individual plant belonging to the genus Sparmannia, especially the widely cultivated species Sparmannia africana (African hemp), which is grown as a fast-growing indoor ornamental plant for its lush foliage.
"She decided to propagate her overgrown sparmannia to share cuttings with her fellow gardening enthusiasts."
• Rhymes for sparmannia
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named in honor of Anders Sparrman (1748–1820), a Swedish naturalist who traveled to South Africa and sailed with Captain James Cook on his second voyage, combined with the Modern Latin botanical suffix '-ia'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.