cineraria

[ sin-uh-rair-ee-uh ]

noun

1. any of several horticultural varieties of a composite plant, Senecio hybridus, of the Canary Islands, having clusters of flowers with white, blue, purple, red, or variegated rays.

cineraria

/ ˌsɪnəˈrɛərɪə /

noun

1. a plant, Senecio cruentus, of the Canary Islands, widely cultivated for its blue, purple, red, or variegated daisy-like flowers: family Asteraceae (composites)

Word History and Origins

Origin of cineraria¹

1590–1600; < New Latin, feminine of cinerārius ashen, equivalent to Latin ciner- (stem of cinis ashes) + -ārius -ary; so named from ash-colored down on leaves

Word History and Origins

Origin of cineraria¹

C16: from New Latin, from Latin cinerārius of ashes, from cinis ashes; from its downy leaves

Example Sentences

Quite a number of the balconies were prettily decorated with pot plants, from cinerarias to peonies, in full bloom.

From Project Gutenberg

Sow seeds of greenhouse and hothouse plants; also the different sorts of tender annuals; pot off those sown last month; sow cineraria for the earliest bloom; also Chinese primulas.

From Project Gutenberg

I remember that I once went into a florist's shop, and seeing a great mass of hard purple-red cinerarias on a shelf I made some remark about them.

From Project Gutenberg

On his grave green lizards bask, and wild cinerarias bloom, while over it glides the shimmering snake; but the poor, faithful fellow blooms fresh in my memory still.

From Project Gutenberg

Dodd sat on his flowerpot, shaking his head and saying “Pooh!” to the cinerarias; and I listened, never doubting that Boon felt the truth he told so well.

From Project Gutenberg