lizard's-tail

9.9

A plant that grows near water with long curved spikes of small white flowers

noun
/ˈlɪzərdz teɪl/

: cola de lagarto

The pond's edge was lined with lizard's-tail, its white blooms swaying gently in the breeze.

Examples

The unique curvature of the lizard's-tail flower spike makes it easy to identify in the wild.
The lizard's-tail plant thrives in wetland areas.
Gardeners often plant lizard's-tail to add natural beauty to wetland habitats.
Many gardeners appreciate the beauty of lizard's-tails in their landscape.
The pond's edge was lined with lizard's-tail, its white blooms swaying gently in the breeze.
Many gardeners appreciate the beauty of lizard's-tail in their landscape.
The unique curvature of the lizard's-tail flower spike makes it easy to identify in the wild.

Synonyms

Saururus cernuus

vslizard's-tail

Specialized

9.9

A wetland plant that grows in shallow water and has long white flower spikes like a lizard's tail

is the everyday common name used outside botanical contexts

Surface Forms

lizard's-tail singular

lizard's-tails plural

Morphology

lizard's-tail = lizard + tail (transparent) = lizard + tail

The plant's name is a straightforward compound referring to a resemblance to a lizard's tail, so its meaning is directly inferable from the components.

Etymology

The word lizard's-tail comes from the plant's long, curved flower spike that looks like a lizard's tail. So, the name gives a simple picture to help you remember it is a wetland plant with slim, curled spikes of tiny white flowers.