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Glite Dictionary
Gelsemium sempervirens

Gelsemium sempervirens

9.9
An evergreen climbing plant from the southeastern United States with sweet-smelling yellow trumpet flowers that is poisonous
  • noun
  • /ˌdʒɛlˈsiːmiəm ˌsɛmpərˈvɪrənz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Gelsemium sempervirens
  • Children should be warned not to ingest any part of the Gelsemium sempervirens vine because it is highly poisonous.

Examples

  • The garden was filled with the sweet scent of Gelsemium sempervirens in early spring.

  • Botanists studied the growth habits of Gelsemium sempervirens in southeastern woodlands.

  • The Gelsemium sempervirens plant is often found in gardens.

  • Don't touch the Gelsemium sempervirens as it is toxic.

  • Children should be warned not to ingest any part of the Gelsemium sempervirens vine because it is highly poisonous.

  • The garden was filled with the sweet scent of Gelsemium sempervirens in early spring.

  • Don't touch the Gelsemium sempervirens as it is toxic.

Synonyms

Carolina jasmine
vsGelsemium sempervirens
  • US
9.3

A poisonous evergreen climbing plant with fragrant yellow flowers from the southern United States

is the formal species name rather than a common regional label
yellow jessamine
vsGelsemium sempervirens
  • US
9.9

An evergreen climbing vine from the southern United States with fragrant yellow flowers poisonous to people and pets

is the formal species name rather than a descriptive common name
yellow jasmine
vsGelsemium sempervirens
  • US
9.3

A climbing evergreen plant that has sweet yellow funnel-shaped flowers and poisonous parts

is the formal species name and focuses less on the woody detail
evening trumpet flower
vsGelsemium sempervirens
  • US
9.6

A poisonous woody evergreen vine with sweet-smelling yellow flowers shaped like funnels in the southeastern United States

is the formal species name rather than a descriptive phrase
Gelsemium
vsGelsemium sempervirens
  • Specialized
9.9

A climbing evergreen shrub with bright yellow flowers that is poisonous

refers to the single species native specifically to southeastern United States

Surface Forms

Gelsemium sempervirens singular
Gelsemium sempervirenss plural

Morphology

Gelsemium + sempervirens

The name is compositional: the genus name 'Gelsemium' identifies the plant group and the Latin epithet 'sempervirens' literally means 'always green' (evergreen), so the full phrase denotes an evergreen Gelsemium. Although botanical Latin is specialized, if a learner knows both constituents they can transparently infer it refers to an evergreen (poisonous) plant with the described features.

Etymology

Gelsemium sempervirens comes from old plant names. Gelsemium may come from the Italian word for 'jasmine' because the yellow flowers smell sweet, and sempervirens means 'always green', so the name gives the image of a sweet-smelling evergreen vine. That's why the name fits this poisonous vine with fragrant yellow flowers.