Phragmites communis
- noun
- /fræɡˈmaɪtiːz kəˈmjunɪs/
- Specialized
:
Phragmites communis
- The wetlands were dominated by dense stands of Phragmites communis along the shoreline.
Examples
-
Traditional arrow shafts were often made from the strong stems of Phragmites communis.
-
Farmers often use Phragmites communis for making mats.
-
Conservationists are studying the effects of Phragmites communis on local ecosystems.
-
The Phragmites communis grows near the riverbank.
-
The wetlands were dominated by dense stands of Phragmites communis along the shoreline.
-
Farmers often use Phragmites communis for making mats.
-
Traditional arrow shafts were often made from the strong stems of Phragmites communis.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A tall reed with broad leaves and feathery flowers used to make mats and arrow shafts
A tall grass with feathery flower heads that grows by lakes and rivers
A tall plant in wet places with long leaves and feathery flowers used to make mats and arrow shafts
Tall reed plants that grow in marshes and near rivers
Surface Forms
Morphology
Phragmites + communis
This is a scientific Latin binomial: 'Phragmites' names the genus of tall marsh grasses and 'communis' (Latin for 'common') serves as a descriptive epithet. If a learner knows the constituent meanings, the phrase directly denotes the common species of Phragmites (a tall reed), so the meaning is compositional and predictable across languages that use Linnaean naming.
Etymology
Phragmites communis comes from old words that give a simple picture: Phragmites means a 'fence' or screen made of reed stems and communis means 'common'. People used the tall reeds for mats, screens and arrow shafts, so the name reminds us it is the common reed used for those everyday things.