Erythrina caffra
- noun
- South African
:
Erythrina caffra
- The Erythrina caffra is often planted in parks for its spectacular springtime display of flowers.
Examples
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Farmers use the wood of Erythrina caffra for lightweight fence posts.
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The bright red seeds of the Erythrina caffra are sometimes used to make decorative jewelry.
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The Erythrina caffra is known for its vibrant orange-scarlet flowers.
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Many gardeners choose Erythrina caffra for its stunning blooms.
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Farmers use the wood of Erythrina caffra for lightweight fence posts.
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The Erythrina caffra is often planted in parks for its spectacular springtime display of flowers.
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Many gardeners choose Erythrina caffra for its stunning blooms.
Synonyms
A small South African tree with bright orange flowers and red seeds
A small tree from South Africa with bright orange flowers and red seeds
Surface Forms
Morphology
Erythrina + caffra
This is a Latin binomial (taxonomic) name: the phrase functions as a species label rather than a compositional English phrase. Even though 'Erythrina' hints at a genus of red-flowered trees, the second element 'caffra' is not an ordinary English word and the overall meaning (a particular South African tree) is botanical knowledge rather than predictable from constituent meanings. Therefore an average B1 learner who knows the parts would not reliably derive the species meaning.
Etymology
Erythrina caffra may come from words meaning 'red' and 'Africa', with Erythrina for 'red' and caffra for 'Africa'. The tree has bright red flowers and shiny red seeds that look like beads, and its light soft wood is used for fence posts, so the name fits a small red-flowered African tree.
