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Glite Dictionary
Ononis repens

Ononis repens

9.9
A low European plant with pink flowers that spreads along the ground by underground stems
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Ononis repens
  • The sandy dunes were covered with patches of Ononis repens in full bloom.

Examples

  • Gardeners sometimes plant Ononis repens as a hardy ground cover.

  • In spring, Ononis repens produces lovely pink flowers that attract various pollinators.

  • Botanists studied how Ononis repens helped prevent soil erosion along the coast.

  • The garden was filled with Ononis repens blooming beautifully.

  • Have you seen the Ononis repens in the park?

  • Gardeners often choose Ononis repens for its ability to thrive in poor soil conditions.

  • The landscape was adorned with vibrant patches of Ononis repens spreading across the lawn.

Synonyms

restharrow
vsOnonis repens
  • UK
9.9

A European plant with tough roots and pink or purple flowers that grows in dry sandy soil

is a single species with unifoliate leaves and long underground runners

Surface Forms

Ononis repens singular
Ononis repenses plural

Morphology

Ononis + repens

This is a botanical Latin binomial (genus + specific epithet); in botanical usage 'repens' functions as an adjective meaning 'creeping', so the name is compositional for learners who recognise Latin taxonomic conventions. However, 'repens' is not an English lexical item and B1 learners typically will not know Latin epithets, so the meaning is only partially predictable — clear to those with botanical/Latin knowledge but not to the average learner.

Etymology

Ononis repens comes from old words: Ononis links to a Greek word for 'donkey' because donkeys ate the plant, and repens is Latin for 'creeping' because the plant spreads along the ground. The English name 'creeping restharrow' gives a clear picture too: its tough roots could stop a harrow (a farm tool), so the name helps you remember a low, spreading, tough plant.