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Ephemeral
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Three Virginia springbeauty flowers, Claytonia virginica, with five white petals each marked by pink veins, set against a blurred green background.
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Three Virginia springbeauty flowers, Claytonia virginica, with five white petals each marked by pink veins, set against a blurred green background.
Ephemeral Virginia springbeauty (Claytonia virginica), an ephemeral.

Ephemeral

botany
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Ephemeral, in botany, any short-lived plant, usually one that has one or more generations per year, growing only during favourable periods (as when adequate moisture is available) and passing the unfavourable periods in the form of seeds. The seed coats of some species contain a growth inhibitor that can be washed off only by a copious quantity of water, thus preventing germination after only a brief shower.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.