Cyperus longus

9.9

A European grass-like plant with rough leaves, reddish flower spikes, and scented roots

noun

Specialized

: Cyperus longus

You can identify Cyperus longus by its rough-edged leaves and reddish flower spikelets.

Examples

Botanists studied the aromatic roots of Cyperus longus for their medicinal properties.
The banks of the river were lined with Cyperus longus, adding a spicy fragrance to the air.
Gardeners sometimes plant Cyperus longus to help control erosion in wetland areas.
The Cyperus longus is often found in wetland areas.
Have you ever seen a Cyperus longus plant?
The aromatic roots of Cyperus longus are used in traditional herbal medicine.
In wetlands, Cyperus longus thrives, providing habitat for various wildlife.

Synonyms

galingale

vsCyperus longus

Specialized

9.9

A plant like grass with rough leaves, reddish flowers, and strong-smelling roots that grows in wet places

does not stress habitat and focuses on physical features like leaves and roots

Surface Forms

Cyperus longus singular

Cyperus longuses plural

Morphology

Cyperus + longus

This is a Linnaean binomial formed from the genus name 'Cyperus' and the specific epithet 'longus', so the phrase literally denotes a Cyperus species characterized by a ‘long’/elongated feature. Taxonomic names are compositional and follow a regular pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the two constituents would be able to infer the MWE's basic meaning.

Etymology

Cyperus longus may come from old Greek and Latin words. The first part, Cyperus, was a Greek word for a 'sedge', a grass-like plant, and longus means 'long', so the name creates the image of a long-leaved, strong-smelling sedge and explains why we use it for this European plant.