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Glite Dictionary
leadwort family

leadwort family

9.9
A group of plants like herbs, shrubs, and vines that grow in salty places worldwide
  • noun
  • /ˈlɛdˌwɜrt ˈfæmɪli/
  • Specialized
translation icon : familia de plumbagináceas
  • Several species in the leadwort family thrive in coastal marshes and salt flats.

Examples

  • Botanists classify sea lavender as part of the leadwort family.

  • Many plants in the leadwort family thrive in saline conditions.

  • The leadwort family includes both ornamental and wild-growing plants.

  • The leadwort family includes many species adapted to coastal environments.

  • Botanists classify sea lavender as part of the leadwort family.

  • Several species in the leadwort family thrive in coastal marshes and salt flats.

  • The leadwort family includes both ornamental and wild-growing plants.

Synonyms

Plumbaginaceae
vsleadwort family
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of plants with flowers like small herbs and shrubs that often grow near the sea

is the common English name for the same family
sea-lavender family
vsleadwort family
  • Specialized
8.7

A family of plants that tolerate salt and grow near coasts worldwide

is the other English name that refers to the same family

Surface Forms

leadwort family singular
leadwort families plural

Morphology

leadwort + family

The meaning is directly compositional: 'leadwort' names a plant and 'family' denotes a taxonomic grouping, so 'leadwort family' straightforwardly means the family of plants related to leadwort (Plumbaginaceae). The X + family pattern is a common, cross-linguistic scientific naming convention, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Leadwort family comes from an old plant name, leadwort. One popular story says lead refers to the plant's lead-coloured roots or to an old use to treat lead poisoning, and wort is an old word for 'plant', so the name simply means the family of plants called leadwort.