Botanical question - May 24 challenge

[Wibbly Bits]

The word “ivies” has come up many times in the years I have been playing Chi, and it has always puzzled me why it is deemed rare. Well, I have finally mustered the courage to ask why this is so. I have done a forum search, and found that it has not been asked before, so this says something. Maybe the humble ivy is not as well known as I have supposed.

[Jacki]

Great question, because I think IVIED is common. I’d like to know too.

[Alan W]

Maybe the humble ivy is not as well known as I have supposed.

If we had a puzzle that allowed 3-letter words, I'm sure ivy would be accepted. But ivy is mostly used as an "uncountable" noun. We don't usually talk about "one ivy", "two ivies", "many ivies". Rather, we talk about "some ivy", "a lot of ivy", etc. Where the word ivies might be used is when referring to different varieties of ivy, say in a plant nursery: "The ivies are over there."

There are other words like this. We accept poetries as a rare word, while poetry, of course, is common. The plural word is rarely used, but could be appropriate when talking about the poetic traditions in different countries: "Ostashevsky explores Russian and American poetries..." (The Bookseller, 13 May).

[Wibbly Bits]

Thanks Alan, it all makes sense now.

[Jacki]

Ditto

[Calilasseia]

I've discovered that worldwide, there are 15 recognised valid species in the Genus Hedera.