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Cornus amomum

Cornus amomum

9.9
A shrub with purplish stems and blue berries from eastern North America
  • noun
  • Specialized
: Cornus amomum
  • Gardeners value Cornus amomum for its striking purplish stems and hardiness.

Examples

  • Birds are attracted to the blue berries of Cornus amomum in late summer.

  • The wetland restoration project included planting Cornus amomum for erosion control.

  • The Cornus amomum is often found in wetland areas.

  • Many gardeners appreciate Cornus amomum for its unique appearance.

  • Birds are attracted to the blue fruit of Cornus amomum during the summer months.

  • Gardeners often choose Cornus amomum for its striking purplish stems and resilience.

  • In wetland environments, Cornus amomum plays a vital role in preventing soil erosion.

Synonyms

silky dogwood
vsCornus amomum
  • US
1 8.5

A bush with purplish stems and blue berries often growing near water

is the same shrub but without the added habitat detail
silky cornel
vsCornus amomum
  • US
9.7

A bush with purple stems and blue fruit that grows in eastern North America

is the same plant but named in an alternate written form

Surface Forms

Cornus amomum singular

Morphology

Cornus + amomum

This is a Latin binomial (genus + species) rather than a compositional English phrase; the species epithet 'amomum' is not an English word and gives no transparent clue to the common name or shrub features. Even if a learner knows 'Cornus' as a taxonomic label, the overall meaning ('silky dogwood' / a particular shrub) cannot be derived from the parts without botanical background, so it is not predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Cornus amomum is a scientific name: Cornus places it in the dogwood group and amomum is the species label that early plant experts used for this silky-stemmed dogwood. So the name points to the shrub called 'silky dogwood' with purplish stems and blue berries.