lesser bullrush
- noun
:
junco menor
- The lesser bullrush thrives in shallow, slow-moving water near the edge of lakes.
Examples
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Wetlands restoration projects often include planting native species such as the lesser bullrush.
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Birds use the dense stands of lesser bullrush as shelter during nesting season.
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The lesser bullrush thrives in wetland areas.
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Many birds nest in the lesser bullrush.
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Birds use the dense stands of lesser bullrush as shelter during nesting season.
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The lesser bullrush thrives in shallow, slow-moving water near the edge of lakes.
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Wetlands restoration projects often include planting native species such as the lesser bullrush.
Synonyms
A tall water plant with narrow leaves and a long brown flower spike that grows in wetlands
A wetland plant with narrow leaves and a brown flower spike
A tall marsh plant with long narrow leaves and a brown flower head
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly built from the parts: 'lesser' (smaller or of reduced significance) modifies 'bullrush' (a tall wetland plant), so the phrase denotes a smaller or distinct species of bullrush. This simple adjective + noun composition is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Lesser bullrush comes from a simple picture: marsh plants called rushes had very strong stems, so people compared them to a bull and called them 'bull rushes'. The word lesser means the 'smaller' kind, so the name helps you picture a smaller, tough reed that grows in wetlands with long leaves and brown flower spikes.
