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Glite Dictionary
Sarracenia purpurea

Sarracenia purpurea

9.9
A plant that eats insects with tube-shaped purple leaves that trap them
  • noun
  • /ˌsærəˈsiːniə pərˈpjʊəriə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Sarracenia purpurea
  • Researchers studied how Sarracenia purpurea traps and digests insects in its natural habitat.

Examples

  • The Sarracenia purpurea is often called the purple pitcher plant due to its colorful leaves.

  • Gardeners in Ireland have successfully cultivated Sarracenia purpurea in specially prepared bog gardens.

  • The Sarracenia purpurea is often found in wetland areas.

  • Did you see the Sarracenia purpurea at the botanical garden?

  • Gardeners in Ireland have successfully cultivated Sarracenia purpurea in specially prepared bog gardens.

  • Researchers studied how Sarracenia purpurea traps and digests insects in its natural habitat.

  • The Sarracenia purpurea is often called the purple pitcher plant due to its colorful leaves.

Synonyms

common pitcher plant
vsSarracenia purpurea
  • Specialized
7.7

A plant that lives in wet ground and has tube-shaped leaves that trap insects

is the same but omits mention of insect trapping
huntsman's cup
vsSarracenia purpurea
  • US
9.9

A bog plant with dark red, cup-shaped leaves that trap insects

is the same but highlights native range instead of naturalization
huntsman's cups
vsSarracenia purpurea
  • US
9.9

A plant that lives many years in bogs with red flowers and cup-shaped leaves that catch insects

is the same but emphasizes tubular, decumbent pitchers instead

Surface Forms

Sarracenia purpurea singular

Morphology

Sarracenia + purpurea

The first element 'Sarracenia' clearly labels a genus of tubular, insect‑trapping (pitcher) plants so a learner who knows that can infer the item is a carnivorous plant; however 'purpurea' is a Latin species epithet (not defined here) and its specific descriptive meaning (purple) is not transparently known to a B1 learner. Because the taxonomic/genus information is compositional but the species epithet is not readily interpretable by learners, the overall name is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Sarracenia purpurea is called the purple pitcher plant because its wide, tube-shaped pitcher leaves hold water and smell a little sweet so insects fall in and cannot climb out. That's why the plant 'traps' and 'digests' insects to get food.