Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Lobelia dortmanna

Lobelia dortmanna

9.9
A water plant with soft leaves under water and blue flowers above the surface
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Lobelia dortmanna
  • The delicate blue flowers of Lobelia dortmanna bloom above the water’s surface in late summer.

Examples

  • Lobelia dortmanna is often found in the shallow waters of northern lakes.

  • Researchers studied the growth habits of Lobelia dortmanna in its natural habitat.

  • The Lobelia dortmanna thrives in shallow waters.

  • Have you seen a Lobelia dortmanna in bloom?

  • Lobelia dortmanna is often found in the shallow waters of northern lakes.

  • The delicate blue flowers of Lobelia dortmanna bloom above the water’s surface in late summer.

  • Researchers studied the growth habits of Lobelia dortmanna in its natural habitat.

Synonyms

water lobelia
vsLobelia dortmanna
9.5

A plant that grows in water with soft underwater leaves and small blue flowers

is the scientific name used for the exact same plant species

Surface Forms

Lobelia dortmanna singular
Lobelia dortmannas plural

Morphology

lobelia + dortmanna

This is a Latin binomial (species) name: while 'lobelia' indicates the plant genus, the epithet 'dortmanna' is a specific, non-lexicalized label (and here not a common English word). Knowing the constituents would at best tell a learner it is a kind of lobelia, but would not allow a B1 learner to infer the specific meaning 'an aquatic perennial herb with blue flowers', so the expression is not compositionally transparent.

Etymology

Lobelia dortmanna has two name parts: Lobelia honors a long-ago botanist called Lobel, and dortmanna probably points to the person or place who first sent the plant to scientists. So, thinking of a botanist Lobel and a lake or person Dortmann helps you remember this small blue 'water plant' that holds its flowers above the water.