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Glite Dictionary
Lepidium alpina

Lepidium alpina

9.9
A small mountain plant with very small flowers and few leaves
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : Lepidium alpina
  • A botanist collected specimens of Lepidium alpina during her hike in the Alps.

Examples

  • The rugged slopes were dotted with Lepidium alpina thriving in the rocky soil.

  • Lepidium alpina is sometimes difficult to distinguish from related alpine herbs.

  • The Lepidium alpina grows in rocky soils.

  • Many hikers admire the Lepidium alpina during their treks.

  • A botanist collected specimens of Lepidium alpina during her hike in the Alps.

  • The rugged slopes were dotted with Lepidium alpina thriving in the rocky soil.

  • Many hikers admire the Lepidium alpina during their treks.

Synonyms

chamois cress
vsLepidium alpina
  • UK
9.9

A small mountain plant with thin stems and very small flowers that grows in rocky places

is the botanical description without emphasizing tufted growth
Pritzelago alpina
vsLepidium alpina
  • Specialized
9.9

A small plant that grows in clumps in mountain meadows and has very small flowers

is the same herb but phrased more generally without formal name

Surface Forms

Lepidium alpina singular
Lepidium alpinum singular
Lepidium alpinae plural

Morphology

Lepidium + alpina

This is a compositional scientific name: 'Lepidium' denotes a plant genus and 'alpina' corresponds to ‘alpine’/‘of the mountains’. A B1 learner who knows the genus is a plant and recognizes the cognate 'alpina' (or relates it to English 'alpine') can infer it denotes a mountain-dwelling Lepidium, and such Latin epithets are cross-linguistically transparent.

Etymology

Lepidium alpina comes from old words: Lepidium may come from a Greek word meaning 'small scale', like a tiny seed or leaf, and alpina means 'from the Alps' or 'mountain'. So the name gives a simple picture of a small mountain plant, which is why it is used for a little herb that grows on rocky slopes.