Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Calycanthus occidentalis

Calycanthus occidentalis

9.9
A spreading shrub from the western United States with brown fragrant flowers
  • noun
  • /ˌkælɪˈkænθəs ɒkɪˈdɛnˌtælɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Calycanthus occidentalis
  • We planted a Calycanthus occidentalis near the patio for its appealing scent and attractive brown blossoms.

Examples

  • The Calycanthus occidentalis in her garden filled the air with a spicy fragrance each spring.

  • The Calycanthus occidentalis blooms beautifully in the spring.

  • Botanists studied the distribution of Calycanthus occidentalis across California’s warmer regions.

  • Have you ever seen a Calycanthus occidentalis in bloom?

  • The Calycanthus occidentalis in her garden filled the air with a spicy fragrance each spring.

  • We planted a Calycanthus occidentalis near the patio for its appealing scent and attractive brown blossoms.

  • Botanists studied the distribution of Calycanthus occidentalis across California's warmer regions.

Synonyms

California allspice
vsCalycanthus occidentalis
  • US
8.0

A bush with sweet-smelling brown flowers from the southwestern United States

is the formal botanical name rather than the common name

Surface Forms

Calycanthus occidentalis singular
Calycanthus occidentales plural

Morphology

Calycanthus + occidentalis

This is a standard Linnaean binomial: the genus name Calycanthus plus the epithet occidentalis (Latin for 'western'), so the sense 'western Calycanthus' or 'western sweet shrub' is directly derivable from the parts. The genus+epithet compositional pattern is regular in scientific names and thus transparent to a learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Calycanthus occidentalis may come from older words: Calycanthus refers to the flower's cup-like shape and sweet scent, and occidentalis means 'western'. So the name creates the picture of a 'western' 'sweet shrub' with a spicy smell, which matches the plant people call today.