Gesnera

/ɡɛsˈnɪrə/ noun

Definition

A tropical plant with colorful, bell-shaped flowers, belonging to the African violet family and popular as a houseplant.

Etymology

Named after Conrad Gesner, a 16th-century Swiss naturalist and encyclopedist. The genus was named in his honor by Carl Linnaeus, following the botanical naming tradition of honoring scientists.

Kelly Says

Gesnera plants communicate with hummingbirds through tubular flowers that are perfectly shaped to fit a hummingbird's beak—it's like an evolutionary handshake between plant and animal.

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