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Glite Dictionary
Phyllodoce breweri

Phyllodoce breweri

9.9
A low spreading evergreen plant that grows on rocky mountain slopes in western United States
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Phyllodoce breweri
  • The Phyllodoce breweri thrives in the rocky alpine slopes of the Sierra Nevada.

Examples

  • The evergreen leaves of Phyllodoce breweri distinguish it from other mountain plants.

  • I saw a beautiful Phyllodoce breweri while hiking in the Sierra Nevada.

  • Botanists identified a patch of Phyllodoce breweri near the trail.

  • The Phyllodoce breweri thrives in rocky, alpine environments.

  • The Phyllodoce breweri can often be found blooming in the alpine meadows of the Sierra Nevada.

  • During our hike, we encountered several clusters of Phyllodoce breweri nestled among the rocks.

  • The unique appearance of Phyllodoce breweri makes it a favorite among native plant enthusiasts.

Synonyms

purple heather
vsPhyllodoce breweri
  • US
8.2

A low evergreen plant with small purple flowers

is the botanical herb in the heath family not only a flower description
Brewer's mountain heather
vsPhyllodoce breweri
  • US
9.9

A low green bush from the western United States with small leaves and purple flowers

is a semi prostrate evergreen herb rather than a low woody shrub

Surface Forms

Phyllodoce breweri singular
Phyllodoce breweris plural

Morphology

Phyllodoce + breweri

This is a taxonomic Latin binomial where the overall meaning (the name of a specific plant species) is not compositionally derived from the parts; the genus label may hint at a plant group but the species epithet 'breweri' is an arbitrary commemorative name and has no independent lexical meaning. A B1 learner who knows the given constituent glosses would not be able to infer the full referent or properties of this specific herb from those parts alone, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Phyllodoce breweri comes from two parts: Phyllodoce, a name from Greek myth that suggests a small, pretty plant with bright leaves, and breweri, 'named for' the botanist William Brewer who collected it in the Sierra Nevada. So the name helps you remember a small evergreen mountain plant first found by Brewer.