Hi people. I'm new here, but I've got a burning question (or two) and am hoping someone can help me.

Today's word is "floruit" from "florere" and originally from the IndoEuropean root "bhel."

My problems are these:

I don't understand how the sounds of the Latin root are similar/related to those of the IndoEuropean root. Nor do I get the meaning of the Indo-European root behl that would cause it to find its way into such *apparently* disparate words as flower, bleed, bless, foliage, blossom and blade.

Usually I can grasp a sense of how the modern English words are related to the original Indo-European. However, in this case, I'm stumped.

Can anyone please help me get what's happening here?

Thanks so much,

Venus