Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
non-flowering plant

non-flowering plant

4.4
A plant that does not make flowers, like ferns or mosses
  • noun
  • /nɑn-ˈflaʊərɪŋ plænt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : planta no floreciente
  • Algae are classified as non-flowering plants because they do not produce flowers.

Examples

  • Mosses are examples of non-flowering plants.

  • Some gardens include non-flowering plants like evergreens for year-round greenery.

  • Ferns are a common type of non-flowering plant found in forests around the world.

  • Unlike roses, which bloom in spring, mosses are non-flowering plants and reproduce by spores.

  • A non-flowering plant can thrive in low light.

  • Mosses and ferns are examples of non-flowering plants that thrive in moist environments.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the beauty of non-flowering plants like ferns and conifers in their landscapes.

Antonyms

flowering plant
4 2.0

A plant that makes flowers and has seeds inside a fruit

How Often

monocarpic plant
  • Specialized
9.9
non-flowering plant
  • Specialized
4.4

Surface Forms

non-flowering plant singular
non-flowering plants plural

Morphology

non-flowering + plant

The structure is fully compositional: 'non-' expresses negation and 'flowering' means producing flowers, so combined with 'plant' it straightforwardly yields 'a plant that does not produce flowers.' This negation + noun pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent parts will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Non-flowering plant names a plant that is non-flowering — imagine green ferns, moss, or pine trees that never show bright flowers but make spores or cones instead. So, the phrase means 'a plant that does not produce flowers'.