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Glite Dictionary
Swainsona greyana

Swainsona greyana

9.9
A small shrub from southern Australia with soft stems and pink flowers
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Swainsona greyana
  • The Swainsona greyana produces striking pink flowers that bloom in late spring across the Australian outback.

Examples

  • Gardeners appreciate the drought resistance of Swainsona greyana in native plant landscaping.

  • Botanists documented a thriving colony of Swainsona greyana along the banks of the Murray River.

  • The Swainsona greyana is known for its beautiful flowers.

  • Have you seen a Swainsona greyana in bloom?

  • Gardeners appreciate the drought resistance of Swainsona greyana in native plant landscaping.

  • The Swainsona greyana produces striking pink flowers that bloom in late spring across the Australian outback.

  • Botanists documented a thriving colony of Swainsona greyana along the banks of the Murray River.

Synonyms

hairy darling pea
vsSwainsona greyana
  • Australian
9.9

A small Australian shrub with soft hairy stems and pink flowers

is the scientific name for that same southern Australian shrubby perennial

Surface Forms

Swainsona greyana singular
Swainsona greyanas plural

Morphology

Swainsona + greyana

This is a scientific binomial (genus + specific epithet). A learner who knows 'Swainsona' as a genus can infer that 'Swainsona greyana' names a species in that genus, but the epithet 'greyana' is a proper name (no lexical meaning) so the specific descriptive properties (shrubby perennial, woolly leaves, etc.) are not derivable from the parts. Because the composition signals species membership but not the detailed meaning, the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Swainsona greyana is named with a person's name and a descriptive word. The genus Swainsona honors the English plant scientist William Swainson, and greyana probably refers to the grey, woolly underside of the leaves. So the name helps you remember a small Australian shrub with grey, downy leaf undersides and pink flowers.