Dicentra cucullaria

9.9

A small spring plant with white, double flowers and thin, lacy leaves

noun
/ˌdaɪˈsɛntrə kʌkʊˈlɛriə/

Specialized

: Dicentra cucullaria

In early spring, Dicentra cucullaria brightens forest floors with its delicate white flowers.

Examples

Gardeners seek out Dicentra cucullaria for its unique double-spurred blooms and attractive foliage.
Some hikers recognize Dicentra cucullaria by its lacy leaves and pants-shaped flowers growing in woodlands.
The Dicentra cucullaria blooms beautifully in early spring.
Have you ever seen a Dicentra cucullaria in the wild?
In early spring, Dicentra cucullaria brightens forest floors with its delicate white flowers.
Gardeners seek out Dicentra cucullaria for its unique double-spurred blooms and attractive foliage.
Some hikers recognize Dicentra cucullaria by its lacy leaves and pants-shaped flowers growing in woodlands.

Synonyms

Dutchman's breeches

vsDicentra cucullaria

9.9

A delicate spring wildflower with white flowers that look like little pants

is the formal scientific name used by botanists for the same plant

Surface Forms

Dicentra cucullaria singular

Dicentra cucullarias plural

Morphology

Dicentra + cucullaria

This is a Latin binomial taxonomic name functioning as a proper noun rather than a compositional English phrase; knowing 'Dicentra' as a genus does not allow a B1 learner to infer the specific properties signified by the epithet 'cucullaria' (which is not an English word). Botanical Latin names are language-neutral labels and the species epithet is not transparently meaningful to learners, so the overall meaning cannot be derived from the constituents.

Etymology

The plant name Dicentra cucullaria may come from old words meaning 'two spurs' for Dicentra and 'little hood' for cucullaria. The flowers have two small spurs and look like tiny pants called 'Dutchman's breeches', so the name gives a simple picture of the plant's shape.