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Glite Dictionary
Mammillaria plumosa

Mammillaria plumosa

9.9
A small cactus with soft white feathery spines from northeastern Mexico
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Mammillaria plumosa
  • The Mammillaria plumosa has delicate, white spines that resemble feathers.

Examples

  • The Mammillaria plumosa is prized in gardens for its unique feathery appearance.

  • The Mammillaria plumosa is often called the feather cactus.

  • Botanists discovered a new colony of Mammillaria plumosa in the wilds of northeastern Mexico.

  • With proper care, Mammillaria plumosa can thrive indoors as an attractive houseplant.

  • I bought a beautiful Mammillaria plumosa for my garden.

  • In sunny climates, Mammillaria plumosa can grow to be quite large and bushy.

  • Collectors often seek out the Mammillaria plumosa for its distinct and eye-catching appearance.

Synonyms

feather ball
vsMammillaria plumosa
  • US
9.9

A small round cactus with white feathery spines from northern Mexico

is the formal scientific name for the same plant

Surface Forms

Mammillaria plumosa singular
Mammillaria plumosas plural

Morphology

Mammillaria + plumosa

This is a Latin binomial (genus + species) rather than a regular English phrase; one constituent ('plumosa') is not a standard English word and the other is a technical genus name. Understanding the meaning requires botanical or Latin-name knowledge rather than straightforward composition of common English words, so a B1 learner who only knows the listed constituents would not reliably derive the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The plant name Mammillaria plumosa comes from Latin words: mammilla meaning 'nipple' and plumosa meaning 'feathery'. The cactus has small nipple-like bumps and soft white, feather-like spines, so the name describes how the plant looks.