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Dianthus
Dianthus is a genus of about 300 species of flowering
plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, native mainly to Europe and
Asia,
with a few species extending south to north Africa, and one species (D.
repens) in arctic North America. Common names include
carnation (D. caryophyllus), pink (D. plumarius and related species) and
sweet william (D. barbatus). The name Dianthus is from
the Greek words dios ("god") and anthos ("flower"), and was cited by the
Greek botanist Theophrastus. The
species are mostly perennial herbs, a few are annual or biennial, and some
are low subshrubs with woody basal stems. The
leaves are opposite, simple, mostly linear and often strongly glaucous
grey-green to blue-green. The flowers have five petals,
typically with a frilled or pinked margin, and are (in almost all species)
pale to dark pink.
The color pink may be named after the
flower. The origin of the flower name 'pink' may come from the frilled
edge of the
flowers: the verb "pink" dates from the 14th century and means "to
decorate with a perforated or punched pattern"
(maybe from German "pinken" = to peck). Source: Collins Dictionary. The
verb sense is also used in the name of pinking shears.
Photo Data: Fuji F31fd at ISO 400 |