Florida's Native Shamrocks
Aye and begorrah - Saint Patrick’s Day is upon us, as are all things green. Whether or not you choose to indulge in a green beer is your call, but one thing that will be nearly impossible to avoid today are shamrocks. Medicago lupulina (Black medick) is one of the four "shamrocks" commonly worn in Ireland For starters, shamrocks are neither part sham nor part rock, so what's with the name? The Irish word for clover is seamair , and its diminutive is seamróg ; an American ear will hear this as shamrock. Incidentally, shamrocks are registered as a trademark by the Irish government. So now that we're past the etymology, what genus and species of plant is this "little clover"? Apparently, not even the Irish have reached a consensus about this. A 1988 survey conducted at the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin revealed that when the Irish wear the "shamrock," it can be any one of four different plants (none of which are Florida natives...