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Glite Dictionary
Lithocarpus densiflorus

Lithocarpus densiflorus

9.9
An evergreen tree on the Pacific coast of North America with thick leathery leaves and bark used for tanning
  • noun
  • Specialized
: tanoak
  • Tanoak, or Lithocarpus densiflorus, is an important source of tannins used in leather processing.

Examples

  • The leaves of the Lithocarpus densiflorus are thick and leathery, helping the tree conserve water in dry climates.

  • A grove of Lithocarpus densiflorus grows near the northern California coastline, thriving in the moist environment.

  • Look at that magnificent Lithocarpus densiflorus!

  • The Lithocarpus densiflorus is a unique tree found along the Pacific coast.

  • A grove of Lithocarpus densiflorus grows near the northern California coastline, thriving in the moist environment.

  • Tanoak, or Lithocarpus densiflorus, is an important source of tannins used in leather processing.

  • The leaves of the Lithocarpus densiflorus are thick and leathery, helping the tree conserve water in dry climates.

Synonyms

tanbark oak
vsLithocarpus densiflorus
  • US
9.9

An evergreen tree with large leathery leaves whose bark is used to make leather

emphasizes species identity and a common alternative name rather than commercial value

Surface Forms

Lithocarpus densiflorus singular
Lithocarpus densifloruses plural

Morphology

Lithocarpus + densiflorus

This is a Linnaean binomial: the genus 'Lithocarpus' identifies it as a type of tree, so a learner who knows that constituent would infer it names a tree. However, the species epithet 'densiflorus' is a Latin descriptor (not common English) and the full dictionary sense ('evergreen of the Pacific coast, tanoak') is specialized information not recoverable from the parts alone, so the meaning is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Lithocarpus densiflorus comes from old Greek and Latin words: litho means 'stone', carpus means 'fruit', and densiflorus means 'many flowers'. So the name paints a picture of a tree with hard, 'stone-like' nuts and lots of flowers, which fits the tanoak today.