Hottonia inflata
- noun
- Specialized
- Botanists were excited to observe the spongy flower stalks of the Hottonia inflata during their field survey.
Examples
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The rare Hottonia inflata can be found in shallow ponds across the eastern United States.
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The white flowers of Hottonia inflata stand out beautifully against its green aquatic foliage.
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The Hottonia inflata is often found in shallow waters.
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Have you seen the Hottonia inflata blooming this spring?
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The rare Hottonia inflata can be found in shallow ponds across the eastern United States.
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Botanists were excited to observe the spongy flower stalks of the Hottonia inflata during their field survey.
-
The white flowers of Hottonia inflata stand out beautifully against its green aquatic foliage.
Synonyms
A water plant that grows in ponds with white flowers and spongy swollen stalks
A water plant with soft spongy stems full of air and white flowers
Surface Forms
Morphology
Hottonia + inflata
This is a compositional botanical binomial: the genus name 'Hottonia' (an aquatic plant) combined with a Latin-derived epithet 'inflata' meaning 'inflated' describes a species of Hottonia with inflated/spongy structures. If a learner knows both constituents (and recognizes the Latin adjective), the species meaning is directly derivable—botanical naming conventions are regular and thus relatively transparent.
Etymology
The name Hottonia inflata comes from a person and a Latin word: Hottonia is named after a botanist called Hotton and inflata means 'inflated' or 'swollen'. That's why the name points to the plant's spongy, puffed-up flower stalks.