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candytuft (KAN-dee-tuhft) - n., any plant of the genus Iberis, especially I. umbellata, an ornamental plant with tufted pink, violet, purple, or red flowers
One of the enormous number of Brassicaceae, or mustards/cabbages. There's about 30 species in the genus, a handful of which are cultivated as ornamentals. Despite the name, they aren't sweet, but rather either originally from or especially associated (dictionaries aren't clear on this) with the island of Crete, formerly known as Candia, especially during its rule by the Venetians from 1204 through 1669, which name is the italianized/latinized form of of Chandax, the hellenized form of Rabḍ al-ḫandaq ("Castle of the Moat"), the Arabic name for modern Heraklion, the capital of the island.
Thanks, WikiMedia!
---L.
One of the enormous number of Brassicaceae, or mustards/cabbages. There's about 30 species in the genus, a handful of which are cultivated as ornamentals. Despite the name, they aren't sweet, but rather either originally from or especially associated (dictionaries aren't clear on this) with the island of Crete, formerly known as Candia, especially during its rule by the Venetians from 1204 through 1669, which name is the italianized/latinized form of of Chandax, the hellenized form of Rabḍ al-ḫandaq ("Castle of the Moat"), the Arabic name for modern Heraklion, the capital of the island.
Thanks, WikiMedia!
---L.
