Gnaphalium

noun

Gna·​pha·​li·​um

-lēəm

: a large genus of hoary or woolly-tomentose widely distributed herbs (family Compositae) having whitish persistent involucres see balsamweed sense 1

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, alteration of Latin gnaphalion cudweed, modification of Greek gnaphallion, from gnaphallon flock of wool, from gnaptein to card, alteration of knaptein; akin to Old English hnæppan to strike, Old Norse hnafa to cut, Lithuanian knabėti to peel, Latin cinis ashes

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