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Glite Dictionary
Cynoglossum officinale

Cynoglossum officinale

9.9
A two-year plant with rough leaves shaped like a tongue and dark reddish-purple flowers
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Cynoglossum officinale
  • Cynoglossum officinale is easily recognized by its dark reddish-purple flowers and rough, tongue-shaped leaves.

Examples

  • The leaves of Cynoglossum officinale are rough and shaped like a dog's tongue, inspiring its common name.

  • Cynoglossum officinale is often found growing along roadsides and in disturbed soils across Europe.

  • Herb gardeners sometimes cultivate Cynoglossum officinale despite its reputation as a weed.

  • The Cynoglossum officinale is often found in damp meadows.

  • Many gardeners admire the beauty of Cynoglossum officinale.

  • In gardens, Cynoglossum officinale can sometimes be seen attracting butterflies with its vibrant blooms.

  • The plant Cynoglossum officinale thrives in sunny locations, often found in meadows and open fields.

Synonyms

hound's-tongue
vsCynoglossum officinale
9.9

A plant with rough tongue-shaped leaves and blue or purple flowers

is the scientific name used for the same species in Europe and western Asia

Surface Forms

Cynoglossum officinale singular
Cynoglossum officinales plural

Morphology

Cynoglossum + officinale

This is a compositional Latin binomial: genus + species epithet. If a learner knows 'Cynoglossum' (hound's-tongue) and 'officinale' (indicating medicinal/use), they can infer it names the medicinal hound's-tongue plant, so the meaning is directly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Cynoglossum officinale gets its name from old words cyno ('dog') and glossum ('tongue') because its rough, tongue-shaped leaves look like a dog's tongue. So, the name and the common name 'hound's-tongue' both point to the plant's leaf shape.