Cordyline terminalis
- noun
- Specialized
:
cordilina terminal
- The leaves of Cordyline terminalis are traditionally used for thatching roofs in Pacific islands.
Examples
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In many regions, people cook the sweet roots of Cordyline terminalis for food.
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Gardeners prize Cordyline terminalis as an ornamental plant for its vibrant foliage.
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The Cordyline terminalis thrives in tropical climates.
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Many people use Cordyline terminalis for thatching roofs.
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In many regions, people cook the sweet roots of Cordyline terminalis for food.
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The leaves of Cordyline terminalis are traditionally used for thatching roofs in Pacific islands.
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Many people use Cordyline terminalis for thatching roofs.
Synonyms
A tropical plant with long leaves used for weaving and food in places like Hawaii
How Tall
∞
1.0
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
4.5
- Specialized
1
4.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a taxonomic binomial: combining the genus name 'Cordyline' (a type of shrub/tree) with the species epithet 'terminalis' (meaning 'at the tip') makes it clear that this is a particular species of Cordyline, so the basic category is derivable from the parts. However, the detailed description (thatching/clothing uses, edible roots) and the convention of Latin species names are encyclopedic and culturally specific, so the full meaning is not fully predictable from the constituents alone.
Etymology
Cordyline terminalis comes from tropical island life: people used its long, strong leaves to make roofs and clothes and cooked its thick, sweet roots as food. Because it was so useful every day, the name came to mean this common, useful tropical shrub.