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Pyrola elliptica

Pyrola elliptica

9.9
A small evergreen plant with long oval leaves and pink bell-shaped flowers
  • noun
  • /paɪˈroʊlə ɛˈlɪptɪkə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Pyrola elliptica
  • You can identify Pyrola elliptica by its oblong leaves and bell-shaped pinkish flowers in late spring.

Examples

  • The forest floor was covered with clusters of Pyrola elliptica, their delicate flowers adding a touch of pink to the greenery.

  • Botanists studied the medicinal properties of Pyrola elliptica in relation to traditional remedies for skin ailments.

  • The Pyrola elliptica grows in shady forests.

  • Have you seen a Pyrola elliptica in bloom?

  • The forest floor was covered with clusters of Pyrola elliptica, their delicate flowers adding a touch of pink to the greenery.

  • You can identify Pyrola elliptica by its oblong leaves and bell-shaped pinkish flowers in late spring.

  • Have you seen a Pyrola elliptica in bloom?

Synonyms

wild lily of the valley
vsPyrola elliptica
  • US
9.9

A North American evergreen plant with oblong leaves and small pink flowers like bells

is used for treating shinplasters rather than for making them
shinleaf
vsPyrola elliptica
  • Specialized
9.9

An evergreen plant with small pink bell flowers and long leaves that people used to treat shin wounds

is used for treating shinplasters rather than for direct wound care

Surface Forms

Morphology

Pyrola + elliptica

This is a Latin binomial combining the genus Pyrola (a shinleaf/wintergreen) with the epithet 'elliptica', which corresponds to the adjective 'elliptical' (i.e. describing leaf shape). A learner who recognises Pyrola and can map the Latinized epithet to the English adjective can infer it is a species of Pyrola with elliptical/oblong leaves, but the Latin form and required botanical knowledge make the relation only partially predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Pyrola elliptica likely comes from old Latin words that describe the leaves: Pyrola points to a small 'pear' and elliptica means 'oval'. Because the plant really has small oval leaves and bell-shaped flowers, this name gives a simple picture to help you recognize the herb.