Mitella is a genus of flowering plants known as miterworts or bishop's caps. Mitella species are native to temperate and arctic North America and Asia.

Mitella
Mitella caulescens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Saxifragaceae
Genus: Mitella
Tourn. ex L. (1753)
Species[1]
Synonyms[1]

Mitellopsis Meisn. (1838)

Description

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Mitella includes perennials growing from a scaly rhizome, bearing wide heart- or spade-shaped leaves near their bases and flowers with five petals in a long raceme or spike.

Etymology

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The genus name means "little mitre", from Latin mitra with the diminutive suffix -ella, since the flowers are said to resemble bishop's headdresses. In Classical Latin use, however, mitella means "female headdress" or "sling".[2] Latin mitra comes from Greek mítrā "girdle", "headband", or "turban".[3]

Species

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Four species and natural hybrids are accepted.[1]

Formerly placed here

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Mitella L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  2. ^ "mitella". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  3. ^ μίτρα. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project
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