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Glite Dictionary
Schefflera actinophylla

Schefflera actinophylla

9.9
A small evergreen tree with shiny, hand-shaped leaves often grown as a houseplant
  • noun
  • /ˈʃɛflərə ˌæktɪnəˈfɪlə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Schefflera actinophylla
  • The Schefflera actinophylla thrives in bright, indirect sunlight, making it popular as a houseplant.

Examples

  • In its native habitat, Schefflera actinophylla can grow up to fifteen meters tall.

  • Gardeners admire the glossy, hand-shaped leaves of the Schefflera actinophylla for their striking appearance.

  • The Schefflera actinophylla thrives in bright indirect light.

  • Many gardeners love the Schefflera actinophylla for its lush foliage.

  • Many gardeners choose Schefflera actinophylla for its attractive, glossy leaves that beautify any indoor space.

  • In tropical regions, Schefflera actinophylla is often found growing in the wild, showcasing its impressive height.

  • To maintain a healthy Schefflera actinophylla, it is essential to place it in an area with bright, indirect sunlight.

Synonyms

Brassaia actinophylla
vsSchefflera actinophylla
  • Australian
9.7

A small evergreen tree with umbrella-shaped leaves often grown indoors or in gardens

is the accepted species name used in scientific naming
umbrella tree
vsSchefflera actinophylla
  • Australian
7.6

An evergreen plant often grown indoors with leaves that spread like an umbrella

is the scientific species name rather than the everyday name

Surface Forms

Schefflera actinophylla singular
Schefflera actinophyllas plural

Morphology

Schefflera + actinophylla

This is a Latin binomial (genus + species) so if a learner knows 'Schefflera' and recognises the pattern, they can infer it denotes a particular kind of Schefflera plant — a partly compositional relation. However, the species epithet 'actinophylla' is specialized/lexicalized Latin rather than ordinary English vocabulary, and the full descriptive sense ('upright evergreen shrub...') requires botanical knowledge, so the meaning is not fully predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Schefflera actinophylla comes from the look of the plant's leaves. The second part, actinophylla, means 'ray leaf' because the leaflets spread out like the rays of a star or the fingers of a hand, so the name helps you remember its star-like, hand-shaped leaves.