THE CHECKERED HISTORY OF THE POINSETTIA'S NAMESAKE AND THE FLOWER'S ORIGINS

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Like Christmas trees, Santa and reindeer, the poinsettia has long been a ubiquitous symbol of the holidays in the U.S. and Europe. But nearly 200 years after the plant with the bright crimson leaves was introduced in the U.S., attention is again turning to the poinsettia’s origins and the checkered history of its namesake. The name “poinsettia” comes from the amateur botanist…