A small flowering plant with red, blue, or white flowers, known for closing its petals in damp weather.
From Old French 'pimprenelle', possibly from Latin 'piperna' (pepper-like). The plant was named for its resemblance to pepper seeds. Associated with folklore and historical fiction.
The Scarlet Pimpernel—a fictional hero hiding among flowers—became so famous that the real flower's image was forever tied to disguise and subterfuge, showing how literature can redefine what we know about nature.
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