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Glite Dictionary
Rhus diversiloba

Rhus diversiloba

9.9
A poisonous bush on the Pacific coast that causes a skin rash when touched
  • noun
  • /rəs ˌdɪvərˈsɪloʊbə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Rhus diversiloba
  • The hiker developed a severe rash after brushing against Rhus diversiloba along the trail.

Examples

  • Contact with Rhus diversiloba can cause an allergic skin reaction in many people.

  • Botanists warn that Rhus diversiloba is highly irritant and should be identified accurately in the wild.

  • Be careful around Rhus diversiloba!

  • I saw Rhus diversiloba growing near the trail.

  • Contact with Rhus diversiloba can cause an allergic skin reaction in many people.

  • The hiker developed a severe rash after brushing against Rhus diversiloba along the trail.

  • Botanists warn that Rhus diversiloba is highly irritant and should be identified accurately in the wild.

Synonyms

poison oak
vsRhus diversiloba
  • US
3 6.5

A climbing or spreading plant with oak-like leaves that makes oil causing skin rash

is the specific Pacific coast shrub, not the broader climbing plant group
Toxicodendron diversilobum
vsRhus diversiloba
  • Specialized
9.9

A poisonous shrub on the Pacific coast of North America that causes an itchy rash when touched

is the common English name used instead of the Latin term
western poison oak
vsRhus diversiloba
  • US
7.9

A poisonous shrub on the west coast of North America that causes an itchy skin rash when touched

is the widely used common name rather than a regional variant

Surface Forms

Rhus diversiloba singular
Rhus diversiloba plural

Morphology

Rhus + diversiloba

This is a scientific Latin binomial: even if a learner knows 'Rhus' as a type of sumac, the second element 'diversiloba' is not a known English word and the label is a taxonomic name rather than a compositional phrase. Botanical Latin names are specialized and not transparently mapped onto everyday meanings like 'poison oak,' so a B1 learner would not be able to derive the MWE meaning from the constituents.

Etymology

Rhus diversiloba is the scientific name for Pacific poison oak. The second word, diversiloba, points to leaves with 'different lobes', and touching the plant causes a skin 'rash', so the name reminds you it is a 'poisonous shrub' to avoid.