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Glite Dictionary
Holcus lanatus

Holcus lanatus

9.9
A tall grass with soft stems from Europe often used to feed cows
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Holcus lanatus
  • The soft, velvety texture of Holcus lanatus stems makes it easy to distinguish from other grasses.

Examples

  • Farmers sometimes use Holcus lanatus as forage for cattle, especially in wetter climates.

  • The Holcus lanatus thrives in damp meadows.

  • Holcus lanatus can quickly take over meadows due to its rapid growth and adaptability.

  • Farmers often plant Holcus lanatus for its high forage value.

  • Holcus lanatus is commonly used as forage on farms because it grows well in wet conditions.

  • Many cattle ranchers prefer Holcus lanatus for its high nutritional value as a source of fodder.

  • You can identify Holcus lanatus by its tall, velvety stems that thrive in moist meadows.

Synonyms

Yorkshire fog
vsHolcus lanatus
  • UK
9.9

A tall grass from Europe with soft stems used to feed animals

is the formal scientific name used for the same plant
velvet grass
vsHolcus lanatus
  • Specialized
7.3

A tall grass with soft stems grown for animal food

is the formal scientific name used for the same plant

Surface Forms

Holcus lanatus singular
Holcus lanatus plural

Morphology

Holcus + lanatus

This is a Latin binomial (scientific) name rather than a compositional English phrase; 'lanatus' is not an English word and 'Holcus' is a technical genus label, so a B1 learner knowing the listed constituents would not be able to derive the meaning 'a tall perennial grass'. Scientific names function as lexicalized labels across languages and are therefore opaque to typical learners without specific botanical knowledge.

Etymology

Holcus lanatus comes from Latin words that describe the plant's look. The second word lanatus means 'woolly' and describes the grass's soft, velvety stems, so the name helps you remember it is a soft, wool-like grass often used as food for animals.