Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun An annual plant (Capsella bursa-pastoris) in the mustard family, native to Eurasia and widespread as a weed, having small white flowers and flat, heart-shaped or triangular seedpods.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A common cruciferous weed, Capsella Bursa-pastoris.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun botany A weed, Capsella bursa-pastoris, family
Brassicaceae , native to Europe but now found world-wide.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun white-flowered annual European herb bearing triangular notched pods; nearly cosmopolitan as an introduced weed
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[From its pouchlike pods.]
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Compare mediaeval Latin bursa pastoris, French bourse-de-berger, German Hirtentasche.
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Examples
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treeseed commented on the word shepherd's purse
Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) is originally from Europe, but has become very common in many parts of the world. Its name derives from Latin and means "little box", "purse of the shepherd". This name refers to the capsule in the shape of a shepherd's purse, which is also its common name.
Shepherd's Purse grows in gardens, lots, fields, waste grounds, and embankments with soils that are not too dry and that provide enough sunshine.
This is rather a small plant, growing to 6-20 cm high. Its fine stalks spread along the main stem. The basal leaves are lanceolate and dentate. The white flowers are arranged in loose racemes. They are radially symmetrical with four petals.
What makes this plant so special is its seed capsule. This heart-shaped fruit is a flat and triangular pod. It is attached to the stalk by its pointed end, projecting erect.
_Wikipedia
February 18, 2008