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saxifrage

Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of numerous herbs of the genus Saxifraga, having small, variously colored flowers and leaves that often form a basal rosette.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A plant of the genus Saxifraga.
  • noun See meadow-saxifrage.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Saxifraga, mostly perennial herbs growing in crevices of rocks in mountainous regions.
  • noun a European umbelliferous plant (Pimpinella Saxifraga).
  • noun a low half-succulent herb (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium) growing in rivulets in Europe; also, C. Americanum, common in the United States. See also under Golden.
  • noun See under Meadow.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A plant in the genus Saxifraga.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun any of various plants of the genus Saxifraga

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin (herba) saxifraga, maidenhair fern, feminine of Latin saxifragus, rock-breaking (from its being found growing in rock crevices) : saxum, rock; see sek- in Indo-European roots + frangere, frag-, to break; see bhreg- in Indo-European roots.]

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Examples

  • The ice-plant, which is also called a saxifrage, may now be seen in many a garden to which it has been brought from the Kerry mountains, and it is known as

    A Child's Book of Saints William Canton 1909

  • This deceitful appearance is caused by a small plant resembling saxifrage, which is abundant, growing in large patches on a species of crumbling moss.

    The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 3 Edgar Allan Poe 1829

  • I give you this bouquetof saxifrage sneezewortspurge ragged robinasphodel lords-and-ladies.''

    Poems for a wedding 2011

  • In the Arctic, extremely steep environmental gradients are frequent on a microtopographical scale and ecotypic differentiation has been demonstrated over such short distances for alpine timothy (Phleum alpinum [16]), Carex aquatilis [17], mountain avens [18], and purple saxifrage [19], all widely distributed plant species in the Arctic.

    Genetic responses of arctic species to changes in climate and ultraviolet-B radiation levels 2009

  • I'm digging dozens of fist-sized holes, squeezing thyme and saxifrage into cracks.

    Back to the Garden 2008

  • High on the cliffs, particularly on north-facing slopes, there are a number of alpine plants, including purple saxifrage Saxifraga oppositifolia, tufted saxifrage Saxifraga caespitosa, the fern Polystichum lonchitis and the three-leaved rush Juncus trifidus.

    Kvarken Archipelago High Coast, Finland and Sweden 2008

  • Among these are Alaska Nagoon berry Rubus articus stellatus (R), fragile sedge Carex membranacea, wedge-leaved primrose Primula cuneifolia saxifragifolia (R), and Wright's golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium wrightii.

    Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Wilderness Park, Canada 2008

  • Ramonda myconi, endemic to the Pyrénées, is found in this habitat and others species such as the Pyrenean saxifrage Saxifraga longifolia, Antirrhinum sempervirens and Pinguicula longifolia occur in the same habitat.

    Pyrenees-Mont Perdu, France and Spain 2008

  • First, a little grass slope, covered with the prettiest flowers, rockrose and saxifrage, and thyme and basil, and all sorts of sweet herbs.

    The Water Babies 2007

  • Partly to avoid more noise, and partly out of compassion, Bradamant dropped her bunch of saxifrage and caught the warm little body up in her hands.

    Asimov's Science Fiction 2004

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