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Glite Dictionary
Erythrina lysistemon

Erythrina lysistemon

9.9
A small tree from South Africa with bright red flowers and red seeds
  • noun
  • South African
translation icon : Erythrina lysistemon
  • Gardeners prize the Erythrina lysistemon for its brilliant scarlet blossoms and modest size.

Examples

  • During spring, the Erythrina lysistemon showcases its dense clusters of bright scarlet flowers.

  • The Erythrina lysistemon adds a splash of color to many South African gardens each spring.

  • Birds are attracted to the Erythrina lysistemon because of its nectar-rich flowers.

  • The Erythrina lysistemon blooms beautifully in spring.

  • Did you see the Erythrina lysistemon in the garden?

  • The Erythrina lysistemon is often used in landscaping due to its striking red flowers.

  • Many birds visit the Erythrina lysistemon to feed on its vibrant blossoms.

Synonyms

Transvaal kafferboom
vsErythrina lysistemon
  • Archaic
9.9

A small South African tree with many bright red flowers and red seeds

is identical in meaning but presented as the formal name
kaffir boom
vsErythrina lysistemon
  • Archaic
9.9

A small tree from South Africa with bright orange flowers and red seeds

specifies bright scarlet flowers only rather than scarlet or orange

Surface Forms

Erythrina lysistemon singular
Erythrina lysistemonus singular

Morphology

Erythrina + lysistemon

The genus name 'Erythrina' signals a red-flowered tree, so a learner who knows that constituent would infer this is a plant species; however the species epithet 'lysistemon' is not transparent (and is not found in the dictionary), so the specific properties (semi-evergreen habit, South African native, flower/seed details) cannot be derived. Latin binomial naming is recognizable across languages as ‘genus + species’, giving partial clue that it names a particular tree, but the full lexical meaning remains unpredictable without domain knowledge.

Etymology

Erythrina lysistemon may come from Greek words. The part Erythrina means 'red' and lysistemon means 'loose stamens', the long parts inside the flower, so the name points to the tree's bright red flowers.