amaranth

amaranth (AM-uh-ranth) - n., an imaginary flower that does not fade; any plant of the genus Amaranthus with green or bright red clusters of tiny flowers, including several species cultivated for their edible leaves and seeds (also called pigweed); the seeds of these plants; the deep reddish purple to dark purplish red color of the flowers of some species of these plants; a dark red to purple azo dye of that color.


The first is from Greek mythology, and I've never been clear how it came to be applied to an entirely different annual plant. Amaranth grains are, like the similar quinoa, an important native people's staple -- in this case, of the Aztecs and other peoples in central Mexico. The name is, via French and Latin, from Greek a-, not + maraínein, fade + -tos, adjectival ending, altered to -th- by influence of anthos, flower.


Thanks, WikiMedia!

---L.