Avicennia

/ˌævɪˈseniə/ noun

Definition

A tropical plant of the mangrove family that grows in coastal salt marshes and has special adaptations for salty water.

Etymology

Named after Ibn Sina (Avicenna in Latin), the famous 11th-century Persian physician and philosopher. Linnaeus honored this influential Islamic scholar by naming a plant genus after him.

Kelly Says

Ibn Sina's medical textbooks were so authoritative that they were used in European universities for over 600 years—naming a plant after him shows his incredible influence on science.

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