Gaultheria procumbens
- noun
- /ˌɡɔːlˈθɪəriə proʊˈkʌmbənz/
- Specialized
:
Gaultheria procumbens
- The aromatic leaves of Gaultheria procumbens are often distilled to produce wintergreen oil.
Examples
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In the forest undergrowth, Gaultheria procumbens can be easily identified by its bright red berries.
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Many herbal teas include leaves from Gaultheria procumbens for their minty flavor.
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The Gaultheria procumbens grows abundantly in the forests of New England.
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I love the taste of Gaultheria procumbens berries in the summer.
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The aromatic leaves of Gaultheria procumbens are often distilled to produce wintergreen oil.
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In the forest undergrowth, Gaultheria procumbens can be easily identified by its bright red berries.
-
Many herbal teas include leaves from Gaultheria procumbens for their minty flavor.
Synonyms
2
8.2
A low evergreen bush with red berries and spicy-smelling leaves used to make oil
1
9.9
A low bush with strong-smelling leaves and red berries that make a mint-like oil
A low plant that spreads along the ground with shiny scented leaves, small white bell flowers, and red berries
A low shrub with white bell-shaped flowers and fragrant leaves used for herbal tea
A low shrub with shiny scented leaves, white bell-shaped flowers, and spicy red berries used to make wintergreen oil
A low plant that stays green all year with shiny leaves and bright red berries that smell like mint
Surface Forms
Morphology
Gaultheria + procumbens
This is a Latin binomial (scientific name) rather than a productive English phrase; the second element 'procumbens' is not given as an English word here, and even if related to English 'procumbent' the form and taxonomic usage function as a label. A B1 learner who only knows the listed constituents would not reliably infer the sense 'low, creeping shrub', so the item is effectively idiomatic/lexicalized and opaque to general learners.
Etymology
Gaultheria procumbens is named after a French-Canadian doctor called Gaultier, and the species name procumbens means 'lying down' in Latin, which gives the picture of the plant's low, creeping habit. So the name both honors the person and describes a small, ground-hugging shrub whose leaves are used to make wintergreen oil.