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Glite Dictionary
Elymus caput-medusae

Elymus caput-medusae

9.9
A wild grass with long sharp bristles on its seed heads that spread and harm fields
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Elymus caput-medusae
  • Ranchers often battle Elymus caput-medusae because it reduces the quality of forage for livestock.

Examples

  • The invasive Elymus caput-medusae can quickly take over pastures.

  • Scientists have studied the spread of Elymus caput-medusae in western grasslands.

  • Elymus caput-medusae can invade rangelands, making it difficult for native species to thrive.

  • Farmers often struggle with Elymus caput-medusae in their fields.

  • Elymus caput-medusae can invade rangelands, making it difficult for native species to thrive.

  • Ranchers often battle Elymus caput-medusae because it reduces the quality of forage for livestock.

  • The invasive Elymus caput-medusae can quickly take over pastures.

Synonyms

Medusa's head
vsElymus caput-medusae
  • US
9.9

A wild grass with long, stiff bristles that look like snake hair

is the formal species label that identifies the same plant

Surface Forms

Elymus caput-medusae singular
Elymus caput-medusae plural

Morphology

Elymus + caput-medusae

The binomial pairs the genus Elymus (a grass) with the Latin compound caput-medusae literally meaning 'Medusa head', so a learner who knows the constituents could infer a grass with a head resembling Medusa's bristling hair. However, because this relies on Latin taxonomic conventions and a mythological metaphor rather than ordinary English composition, the exact botanical sense (an invasive rye with long, bristling awns) is not fully predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Elymus caput-medusae gets its name from Latin: caput means 'head' and medusae refers to 'Medusa'. The plant's seed head has many long, snake-like bristles that look like Medusa's hair, so the name points to its bristly look and helps you remember it is a weedy rye grass with long bristles.