Quillwort
/ˈkwɪl.wɜːrt/noun
A small, grasslike aquatic or marsh plant of the genus Isoëtes.
Did you know?Quillwort was named for its stiff, narrow leaves that look like quills, and the second element *wort* is an old English plant word that survives in many ancient herb names.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
wyrt
“plant, herb, root, vegetable”
Middle English
ME
quille
“a feather pen or hollow feather shaft”
Early Modern English
English
quill wort
“a plant with quill-like leaves”
19th Century
English
quillwort
“a common name applied to aquatic plants of the genus Isoëtes”
Modern English
English
quillwort
“a small aquatic or marsh plant with stiff, quill-like leaves”
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