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Glite Dictionary
🪴 A carnivorous plant 🪴 A plant genus
Nepenthes

Nepenthes

1 9.9
A group of tropical plants with cup-shaped leaves that trap and digest insects
  • noun
  • /nɪˈpɛnθiz/
  • Specialized
: Nepenthes
  • Researchers discovered a new species of Nepenthes in the remote mountains of Borneo.

Examples

  • The Nepenthes in her greenhouse require humid conditions to thrive.

  • Many gardeners are fascinated by the carnivorous nature of Nepenthes plants.

  • The Nepenthes plant is fascinating to study.

  • Many Nepenthes species thrive in humid environments.

  • Many gardeners are fascinated by the distinctive traps of Nepenthes that capture insects.

  • Researchers discovered a unique species of Nepenthes in the dense jungles of Madagascar.

  • The Nepenthes plants in the botanical garden showcase their elegant pitcher-shaped leaves.

Synonyms

Nepenthaceae
vsNepenthes
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A group of tropical plants with pitcher-shaped leaves that catch and eat insects

has the same sense but names the single genus rather than the family
family Nepenthaceae
vsNepenthes
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of tropical plants that catch insects in cup-shaped leaves

has identical meaning but uses the genus label instead of the family label

Surface Forms

Nepenthes singular
Nepentheses plural

Etymology

Nepenthes comes from the Greek idea of a sorrow-ending drink: ne- means 'not' and penthos means 'grief', so a nepenthe was a potion to 'chase away sorrow'. The plant was named Nepenthes because its pitcher is like a little cup of liquid, reminding people of that magical drink.