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Glite Dictionary
Ranunculus aquatilis

Ranunculus aquatilis

9.9
A water plant with white flowers and leaves that float or grow under water found in ponds and slow streams
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : ranúnculo acuático
  • Ranunculus aquatilis often covers the surface of calm ponds with its delicate white flowers.

Examples

  • The floating leaves of Ranunculus aquatilis provide shelter for small aquatic animals.

  • You can find Ranunculus aquatilis thriving in slow-moving streams across Europe and North America.

  • The Ranunculus aquatilis blooms beautifully in the spring.

  • Have you seen the Ranunculus aquatilis in the pond?

  • Ranunculus aquatilis is a beautiful plant that grows in still ponds and produces floating white flowers.

  • In North America, you can easily spot Ranunculus aquatilis in shallow waters of quiet lakes.

  • The delicate white blooms of Ranunculus aquatilis create a stunning sight on the surface of calm waterways.

Synonyms

water crowfoot
vsRanunculus aquatilis
  • Specialized
9.5

A water plant with floating leaves and small white flowers that grows in ponds and slow streams

is the specific species that has those same aquatic features
water buttercup
vsRanunculus aquatilis
8.7

A plant in ponds and slow streams with white flowers and floating leaves

is the same species expressed as the scientific name

Surface Forms

Ranunculus aquatilis singular
Ranunculus aquatilis plural

Morphology

Ranunculus + aquatilis

The binomial name combines the genus 'Ranunculus' (a plant) with 'aquatilis', which is transparently related to English 'aquatic' meaning 'living in water'. As a result, a learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to a water-dwelling Ranunculus species; scientific Latin names are compositional and largely predictable in this way.

Etymology

Ranunculus aquatilis comes from Latin: ranunculus means 'little frog' and aquatilis means 'of the water', because these plants live in ponds and streams where frogs are common. So the name reminds you it is a water plant with floating leaves and small white flowers.