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Glite Dictionary
Fragaria chiloensis

Fragaria chiloensis

9.3
A wild strawberry plant from the Pacific coast used to breed cultivated strawberries
  • noun
  • /frəˈɡɛəriə tʃɪˈloʊɛnsɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fresa chilena
  • The cultivated strawberry is a hybrid descended from Fragaria chiloensis and other species.

Examples

  • Wild populations of Fragaria chiloensis grow along the Pacific coast.

  • The Fragaria chiloensis plants produce small, sweet berries.

  • Researchers study Fragaria chiloensis to improve disease resistance in commercial strawberries.

  • I found a patch of Fragaria chiloensis in the forest.

  • Researchers study Fragaria chiloensis to improve disease resistance in commercial strawberries.

  • The cultivated strawberry is a hybrid descended from Fragaria chiloensis and other species.

  • Wild populations of Fragaria chiloensis grow along the Pacific coast.

Synonyms

beach strawberry
vsFragaria chiloensis
  • Specialized
5.3

A wild strawberry plant that grows on coastal dunes

is the formal species label used rather than the common name
Chilean strawberry
vsFragaria chiloensis
  • US
7.0

A wild strawberry plant from western North and South America that people use to breed garden strawberries

is limited to the western United States rather than broader North America

Surface Forms

Fragaria chiloensis singular
Fragaria chiloensises plural

Morphology

Fragaria + chiloensis

This is a standard Linnaean binomial: the genus name Fragaria means 'strawberry', and the specific epithet functions to identify a particular species or origin, so the overall meaning 'a species of Fragaria (strawberry)' is directly compositional. Although 'chiloensis' is a Latinized epithet and may be unfamiliar lexically, the genus+epithet pattern is predictable and allows a learner who knows both parts to infer it names a type of strawberry.

Etymology

Fragaria chiloensis comes from Latin and a place name: Fragaria is the Latin word for 'strawberry' and chiloensis means 'from Chiloé', an island in Chile where the wild plant grows. So the name literally says 'strawberry from Chiloé', which helps explain why this wild species is a source of the garden strawberries we eat today.