Sturt's desert pea en · NOUN
Etymology
Named after Charles Sturt (1795–1869), British officer and explorer, who recorded seeing large quantities of the flowers while exploring central Australia in 1844.
Meanings
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A wildflower endemic to Australia, Swainsona formosa, known for its distinctive blood-red leaflike flowers, each with a bulbous black centre.
Innovative New York City floral artists such as Emily Thompson have long valued Australian plants, including spiky banksia, spidery Grevillea and Swainsona formosa — also known as Strut’s desert pea,^([sic]) which resembles a multieyed visitor from another galaxy — but local designers were raised to regard native species as mundane and overly rustic.
2022 September 23, Besha Rodell, “Australian Floral Designs That, at Long Last, Embrace Australian Flora”, in The New York Times Style Magazine:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sturt's desert peas | Number=Plur | lexicographic |