Lobularia maritima
- noun
- /ˌlɒb.jʊˈlɛr.i.ə mɑːrɪˈtiː.mə/
- Specialized
:
Lobularia maritima
- Gardeners often plant Lobularia maritima for ground cover because of its abundant white blooms.
Examples
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The sweet scent of Lobularia maritima makes it a popular choice for planting near patios and walkways.
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The cluster of tiny white flowers seen here is characteristic of Lobularia maritima.
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Lobularia maritima adds a delicate touch and pleasant scent to many flower borders.
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Look at the lovely Lobularia maritima!
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Don't forget to water the Lobularia maritima regularly!
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Lobularia maritima is often used in gardens for its beautiful clusters of fragrant white flowers.
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When in full bloom, Lobularia maritima creates a stunning display of white blossoms that attract pollinators.
Synonyms
A low garden plant with many small, sweet-smelling white flowers
A low garden plant with clusters of small white sweet-smelling flowers
A small garden plant with sweet-smelling white or purple flowers often used as ground cover
A small garden plant that has many small white or yellow flowers
Surface Forms
Morphology
Lobularia + maritima
This is a Linnaean binomial combining a genus name and a specific epithet, so a learner who knows 'Lobularia' (a plant genus) and recognises 'maritima' as 'of the sea/coastal' would infer it names a plant species and perhaps a coastal one. However, the precise referent and everyday sense ('sweet alyssum', a widely cultivated perennial) are conventional and cannot be fully recovered from the Latin constituents alone, and botanical naming conventions are not fully predictable for learners.
Etymology
Lobularia maritima may come from words that mean 'small lobes' and 'near the sea', with lobularia pointing to its little lobe-shaped leaves and maritima meaning it often grows by the sea. That image of a low, sweet-smelling plant with tiny white flower clusters helps explain why the name fits the sweet alyssum gardeners use today.
