hepatica

1 9.9

A small wildflower with three-lobed leaves that blooms in early spring with purple, pink, white, or blue flowers

noun
/həˈpætɪkə/

Specialized

: hepatica

Rita had transplanted forest flowers around the house—Michaelmas daisy, hepatica, running cedar—not bothering much with nurseries or seed catalogs.

Examples

As we walked through the forest, I spotted the delicate hepatica peeking through the leaves.
The tract distributor wears a spray of Hepatica flowers in her bonnet (a common floral fashion accessory).

Academic text (1992)
In the white pine woods, the hepatica blooms with beautiful purple flowers in early spring.
The garden was filled with hepatica, a wildflower known for its vibrant colors and three-lobed leaves.

Synonyms

Hepatica

vshepatica

Specialized

1 9.9

A small plant that lives for several years and grows in woods with delicate early spring flowers

is a single early-blooming plant within that genus

liverleaf

vshepatica

9.9

A small plant with three-lobed leaves and pale spring flowers in damp woods

is broader in flower colors and habitats, including purple, blue, and varied woodlands

Compounds

arteria hepatica

Specialized

7.1

A blood vessel that carries blood to the liver

Fistulina hepatica

Specialized

9.9

A red, meat-like mushroom you can eat that grows on oak trees

vena hepatica

Specialized

7.0

A vein that carries blood from the liver to the large vein returning blood to the heart

Surface Forms

hepatica singular

hepaticas plural

Etymology

Hepatica comes from the old Greek word hepar meaning 'liver' because the plant's three-lobed leaves look like a little liver. You can see the same root in words like hepatic and hepatitis, so the name helps you remember the flower by its 'liver-shaped' leaves.