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Glite Dictionary
Serenoa repens

Serenoa repens

9.9
A small spiny palm that grows wild in the southern United States
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Serenoa repens
  • You can find Serenoa repens growing wild in the pine forests of Florida.

Examples

  • The fruits of the Serenoa repens are often harvested for herbal supplements.

  • Botanists study Serenoa repens for its unique adaptation to sandy soils.

  • The Serenoa repens thrives in sandy soils.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the Serenoa repens for its hardiness.

  • Many gardeners appreciate Serenoa repens for its ability to withstand harsh conditions.

  • The fruits of Serenoa repens are harvested to make popular herbal remedies.

  • You can find Serenoa repens thriving in the coastal regions of the southern United States.

Synonyms

saw palmetto
vsSerenoa repens
  • US
1 7.2

A small palm with spiny leaves that grows in clumps in the southeastern United States

is the scientific name used in biology for the same species
scrub palmetto
vsSerenoa repens
  • US
9.5

A small tough palm that grows in clumps with spiny leaves in the southern United States

is the scientific name rather than an alternate common name

Surface Forms

Serenoa repens singular
Serenoa repens plural

Morphology

Serenoa + repens

This is a scientific Latin binomial (a genus + species name) rather than a compositional English phrase; the genus 'Serenoa' is a technical proper noun and 'repens' is not a recognized English word in the entry. A B1 learner who knows ordinary English vocabulary would not be able to derive the meaning 'saw palmetto / small spiny palm' from these constituents, so the expression is effectively opaque to learners.

Etymology

Serenoa repens comes from two parts: Serenoa, a name honoring a botanist called Sereno, and repens, a Latin word meaning 'creeping'. This gives a clear picture: the small, low palm called 'saw palmetto' spreads in clumps along the ground, so the name fits its current look and habit.