shellflower

shellflower
/shel"flow'euhr/. n.
1. an eastern Asian plant, Alpinia zerumbet, of the ginger family, having pendulous clusters of fragrant white flowers with variegated markings.
3. any of several other plants with flowers or parts thought to resemble shells, as those of the genus Tigridia.
[1835-45; SHELL + FLOWER]

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▪ plant
also called  shell ginger 

      any of about 250 species of plants in the genus Alpinia of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), native to warm climates of Asia and Polynesia. They have gingerlike rhizomes (underground stems) and grow to 6 m (20 feet). Their leaves are long-bladed and leathery. The flower petals form a shortened tube with three teeth and a large labellum (two fused stamens), giving an orchidlike appearance. The fragrant flowers of pink, yellow, or white are borne in dense, long clusters.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Shellflower — may refer to:*Any of several plants in the Alpinia genus; e.g. Alpinia nutans , and Alpinia zerumbet *Any of several plants in the Chelone genus, e.g. Chelone glabra *Any of several plants in the Moluccella genus, specially Moluccella laevis *Any …   Wikipedia

  • shellflower — Chelone Che*lo ne, n. [Gr. chelw nh a tortoise. So named from shape of the upper lip of the corolla.] (Bot.) A genus of hardy perennial flowering plants, of the order {Scrophulariace[ae]}, natives of North America; called also {snakehead},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Shellflower — Alpinia (E) …   EthnoBotanical Dictionary

  • shellflower — noun 1. cultivated for its shining oblong leaves and arching clusters of white flowers with pink shading and crinkled yellow lips with variegated magenta stripes • Syn: ↑shall flower, ↑shell ginger, ↑Alpinia Zerumbet, ↑Alpinia speciosa, ↑Languas… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Chelone — noun herbaceous perennials: shellflower • Syn: ↑genus Chelone • Hypernyms: ↑asterid dicot genus • Member Holonyms: ↑Scrophulariaceae, ↑family Scrophulariaceae, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • genus Chelone — noun herbaceous perennials: shellflower • Syn: ↑Chelone • Hypernyms: ↑asterid dicot genus • Member Holonyms: ↑Scrophulariaceae, ↑family Scrophulariaceae, ↑figwor …   Useful english dictionary

  • Chelone — Che*lo ne, n. [Gr. chelw nh a tortoise. So named from shape of the upper lip of the corolla.] (Bot.) A genus of hardy perennial flowering plants, of the order {Scrophulariace[ae]}, natives of North America; called also {snakehead}, {turtlehead},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • snakehead — Chelone Che*lo ne, n. [Gr. chelw nh a tortoise. So named from shape of the upper lip of the corolla.] (Bot.) A genus of hardy perennial flowering plants, of the order {Scrophulariace[ae]}, natives of North America; called also {snakehead},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • turtlehead — Chelone Che*lo ne, n. [Gr. chelw nh a tortoise. So named from shape of the upper lip of the corolla.] (Bot.) A genus of hardy perennial flowering plants, of the order {Scrophulariace[ae]}, natives of North America; called also {snakehead},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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