Kalmia polifolia

9.9

A low evergreen shrub that grows in wet bogs and has small purple flowers and pale leaves

noun

Specialized

: Kalmia polifolia

The wetland was covered in Kalmia polifolia, its small purple flowers brightening the boggy landscape.

Examples

In acidic soil, Kalmia polifolia thrived alongside sphagnum moss and cranberries.
The Kalmia polifolia blooms beautifully in the spring.
Botanists surveyed the spread of Kalmia polifolia in the reserve last spring.
Many gardeners appreciate the Kalmia polifolia for its unique flowers.
The wetland was covered in Kalmia polifolia, its small purple flowers brightening the boggy landscape.
In acidic soil, Kalmia polifolia thrived alongside sphagnum moss and cranberries.
Botanists surveyed the spread of Kalmia polifolia in the reserve last spring.

Synonyms

bog kalmia

vsKalmia polifolia

9.9

A low-growing shrub in bogs of the northwest United States with small purple flowers and pale blue-green leaves below

is the formal botanical name for that same bog shrub

bog laurel

vsKalmia polifolia

9.9

A small evergreen shrub that grows in bogs with pale leaves and purple flowers

is the botanical term rather than this common descriptive name

Surface Forms

Kalmia polifolia singular

Kalmia polifolias plural

Morphology

kalmia + polifolia

This is a Latin binomial (scientific) name: even if a learner knows 'kalmia' as a shrub, the second element 'polifolia' is a Latin-derived epithet not interpretable by an average B1 learner. Taxonomic names function as proper nouns and their specific meanings (often morphological descriptors in Latin) are not transparently recoverable from the surface forms, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Kalmia polifolia was named for the explorer and botanist Pehr Kalm, so Kalmia means Kalm's plant. The second part, polifolia, means 'many leaves' and gives the simple picture of the shrub's many small evergreen leaves in the 'bog', so the name describes this low bog plant.