American Star-flower (Trientalis borealis Raf.)
Crisp November nights are a perfect time for a quick look up at the stars. I’ll be including some posts about our star-gazing, but for now, my thoughts are still turning back to summer. Stars in the sky? There are also stars in the dark summer woods.
The American Star-flower, Trientalis borealis Raf., is a plant with a delicate white, star-shaped flower, found in late spring in woodlands and on peaty slopes. Its scientific name comes from the Latin word for the third part of a foot, a reference to the height of the plant, and the Latin borealis, meaning northern. It is a common little plant, described by Fernald as a “forest pioneer”.
Some will wonder what the ‘Raf.’ refers to, at the end of the scientific name. This is an attribution to the botanist who first named the plant. In many cases, the attribution is ‘L.’, meaning the plant was first named by Carolus Linnaeus (the biologist who first introduced the ‘binomial’ naming system for plants).
‘Raf.’ stands for Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz who first assigned the genus and species names to the plant – Trientalis borealis. He was an eccentric polymath (knowledgeable in many fields and disciplines) who lived from 1783 to 1840. In his lifetime he published 6,700 binomial names for plants.
Star-flower
Trientalis borealis Raf.
~
Trientalis
borealis
star-flower
lost from the sky
four inches high
(the Latin name
makes claim)
petals white
boreal light
fallen down
first found
by Constantine
now often seen
it’s little lamp
above the damp
a forest pioneer
final frontier
up above
twinkling of
stamen and star
who you are
I wonder
and wander
down a trail blazed
by a frail flower
one candle power
~
Published as: ‘Star Flower’, Winter 1993, The Antigonish Review 92.
revised
© Jane Tims
If only I could write like this. Very inspirational and beautifully written. Thank you for sharing :-]
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redplace
November 24, 2011 at 5:03 am
Hi. Thank you for liking this. Your writing is memorable… I like your concept of writing poetry as being a ‘thicker sense’. Jane
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jane tims
November 25, 2011 at 6:51 am
Very nice Jane. Beautiful drawing.
Had enough snow yet? We are drowning down here. Glen must be in his glory with all this snow coming down … 🙂
-Denis
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JD
November 23, 2011 at 6:01 pm
Hi. Yes, we have lots of snow, about 25 cm. Glen was out ploughing and returned. When everyone is safe inside, I can relax. I love the snow but not the driving. Thanks for liking my drawing! Jane
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jane tims
November 23, 2011 at 7:58 pm
I love the echo of twinkle, twinkle, little star Jane!
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C.L. Sostarich
November 23, 2011 at 10:55 am
Hi C.L. I remember the night my Mom taught me ‘Twinkle, Twinkle’, when I was just little. I am glad you hear that cadence in my poem. Jane
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jane tims
November 23, 2011 at 5:36 pm