Aaron's beard

Aaron's beard may refer to the following plants having numerous stamens or threadlike runners:

• Cymbalaria muralis (Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Kenilworth Ivy), native to south and southwest Europe^[1]
• Hypericum calycinum (Great St. John's-wort, Jerusalem Star), widely cultivated.^[2]
• Saxifraga stolonifera (Creeping Saxifrage, Strawberry Geranium), native to Asia.^[3]
• Opuntia leucotricha (Arborescent Prickly Pear, Aaron's Beard Cactus), a species of prickly pear cactus, endemic to Mexico.^[4]

The name derives from a Biblical quotation referring to the patriarch Aaron:

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments"
-- Psalm 133:1-2 (King James Version)

Plants named Aaron's beard

• 

  Cymbalaria muralis

• 

  Hypericum calycinum

• 

  Saxifraga stolonifera

• 

  Opuntia leucotricha

References

1. Truchan, Mariola; Sobisz, Zbigniew (2006). "Distribution of Cymbalaria muralis P. Gaertn., B. Mey. & Scherz. in the central part of Polish Pomerania" (PDF). Biodiversity Research and Conservation. 1–2: 98–101.
2. "BSBI List 2007" (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original on 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
3. Quattrocchi, Umberto (1999). CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms. Synonyms, and Etymology. CRC Press. pp. 2395–2396. ISBN 9780849326738.
4. "Opuntia leucotricha". Germplasm Resources Information Network. ARS. Retrieved 2013-03-23.