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Sturt pea

Sturt pea

9.9
A low spreading Australian plant with bright red flowers marked with black that grows in dry areas
  • noun
  • Australian
translation icon : guisante de Sturt
  • The vibrant flowers of the Sturt pea are a symbol of the Australian outback.

Examples

  • Many gardens in Australia feature the distinctive Sturt pea for its striking appearance.

  • Botanists collected several Sturt peas while studying the desert flora.

  • The Sturt pea is a beautiful plant.

  • Many gardeners love the Sturt pea for its color.

  • Many gardens in Australia feature the distinctive Sturt pea for its striking appearance.

  • The vibrant flowers of the Sturt pea are a symbol of the Australian outback.

  • Botanists collected several Sturt peas while studying the desert flora.

Synonyms

Sturt's desert pea
vsSturt pea
  • Australian
9.9

A short Australian plant from dry inland areas with bright red flowers and black centres

is the alternative common name used for the identical plant
desert pea
vsSturt pea
  • Australian
9.5

A low bushy plant from dry parts of Australia with bright red flowers and a black spot

is the sprawling form of the same plant rather than a compact shrub

Surface Forms

Sturt pea singular
Sturt peas plural

Morphology

Sturt + pea

The compound follows a common proper-name + noun pattern so a learner who knows 'pea' will reliably infer it denotes a kind of pea/plant; however 'Sturt' is an eponym/proper name with no lexical content that would reveal the specific characteristics (e.g., color, habit). Because the basic category (a pea/plant) is predictable but the detailed meaning is not, the item is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Sturt pea is named after the explorer Sturt and the plant's place in the 'pea' family. Its bright, red, pea-shaped flowers that grow in the dry Australian outback are the image behind the name, so today Sturt pea means that red, pea-like plant from the outback.