A South African bulbous plant (Ornithogalum thyrsoides) with small white or yellow star-shaped flowers, prized as a long-lasting cut flower.
From Afrikaans or a Khoisan language, the etymology is uncertain but reflects South African botanical naming. The word entered English through horticulture and floristry in the 19th century.
Florists call this flower 'the everlasting' because cut stems can last for months in a vase—Victorian and modern wedding planners love it, and the tongue-twisting name is a delightful collision of African and English languages!
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