Home

mouseeared

Mouseeared or mouse-eared is an English descriptive term used in biology and horticulture to indicate a likeness to a mouse’s ears or to the shape of mouse ears on leaves. The form is typically hyphenated (mouse-eared) in standard usage; instances of the single-word spelling mouseeared are less common and generally considered nonstandard.

Usage and scope

Mouseeared is not a formal taxonomic designation. It is a descriptive descriptor employed in common names and

Examples in mammals

In zoology, the term appears in common names such as the greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) and

Examples in plants

In botany, mouseeared descriptors appear in common names such as mouse-ear chickweed (Cerastium fontanum) and mouse-ear

Etymology

The compound derives from the straightforward combination of mouse and ear, with the protective hyphenation adopted

See also

Mouse-eared bats, chickweed, and cress are related examples where the descriptor appears in common names.

field
descriptions
to
signal
a
morphological
resemblance
to
mouse
ears,
usually
referring
to
small,
rounded
ears
in
animals
or
to
the
shape
and
arrangement
of
leaves
in
plants.
the
lesser
mouse-eared
bat
(Myotis
blythii).
These
names
reflect
the
comparatively
prominent,
rounded
ears
characteristic
of
certain
Myotis
species.
cress
(Arabidopsis
thaliana).
In
these
cases,
the
name
alludes
to
leaf
morphology
or
the
early
rosette
form
that
evokes
the
impression
of
mouse
ears.
in
modern
English
to
emphasize
the
comparative
image.
Usage
varies
by
source,
and
the
exact
spelling
may
differ
between
authors
and
regional
publications.