Madagascar periwinkle
- noun
:
vinca de Madagascar
- The Madagascar periwinkle is known for its vibrant, glossy leaves and striking pink flowers.
Examples
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Gardeners often plant Madagascar periwinkle as a decorative border in warm climates.
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The Madagascar periwinkle blooms beautifully in the summer.
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Extracts from the Madagascar periwinkle are used in traditional medicine and pharmaceuticals.
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I planted a Madagascar periwinkle in my garden last spring.
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The Madagascar periwinkle produces beautiful pink flowers that attract many types of pollinators.
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In tropical gardens, the Madagascar periwinkle thrives and provides a burst of color throughout the year.
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Many gardeners choose the Madagascar periwinkle for its low maintenance and stunning floral displays.
Synonyms
A woody plant with large pink or red flowers often grown in gardens
A small woody plant from Madagascar with large pink, white, or red flowers grown in gardens and used in medicine
A tropical garden plant with large pink or red flowers
How Showy
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase simply combines a place name 'Madagascar' with the noun 'periwinkle' to indicate the periwinkle species from Madagascar; the meaning is directly inferable as a type of periwinkle native to or associated with Madagascar. This origin+noun naming pattern is a common, transparent compositional process in English and other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand the term.
Etymology
Madagascar periwinkle gets its name from where it was first found and how it looks: it comes from Madagascar, and people called it periwinkle because its low, spreading stems and small bright flowers reminded them of the little sea snail called a 'periwinkle'. So the name means 'a flowering plant from Madagascar'.