☠️ A toxic shrub 🌳 A desert tree

mustard tree

9.9

An evergreen shrub from South America whose leaves can poison farm animals

noun

: árbol de mostaza

The farmer lost several cows after they ate leaves from the mustard tree.

Examples

You should be careful not to let livestock graze near a mustard tree in that area.
Many mustard trees grow in the southern United States.
Researchers are studying the spread of the mustard tree across southern states.
The mustard tree is known for its resilience.
The farmer lost several cows after they ate leaves from the mustard tree.
You should be careful not to let livestock graze near a mustard tree in that area.
Many mustard trees grow in the southern United States.

Synonyms

tree tobacco

vsmustard tree

9.0

A fast growing evergreen shrub with yellow tube-shaped flowers that can poison livestock

is noted for sometimes causing livestock poisoning rather than focusing on flower shape

Nicotiana glauca

vsmustard tree

Specialized

9.9

A green shrub from South America with yellow flowers that is poisonous to livestock

is focused on instances of livestock poisoning rather than general toxic descriptions

Surface Forms

mustard tree singular

mustard trees plural

Morphology

mustard + tree

The compound 'mustard tree' is compositionally regular: a noun modifier 'mustard' specifying the type of the head noun 'tree', so a B1 learner who knows both words will infer it is a kind of tree associated with mustard (e.g., producing or resembling mustard). Specific botanical details (genus, uses) are not predictable, but the basic referent as a tree related to mustard is directly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Mustard tree may come from the plant's strong, mustard-like smell or taste when its leaves or seeds are crushed, so people called it a mustard tree. Because grazing animals sometimes ate it and were poisoned, the name now refers to the evergreen shrub that can harm livestock.