puka
9.9
A small South American tree with long shiny evergreen leaves and clusters of yellow flowers
- noun
- US
:
puka
- Hiking through the forest, we spotted a beautiful puka with clusters of yellow flowers.
Examples
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The gardener recommended planting a puka for its striking appearance and ease of care.
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The puka is known for its long, shiny evergreen leaves that brighten the landscape.
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The puka's not dumb, right?
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Yeah, puka's great.
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Puka's great.
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Puka's good?
Synonyms
9.9
A South American small tree or bush with long shiny evergreen leaves and greenish-yellow flowers
uses a general word for flower groups rather than the specific panicle term
9.9
A small to medium evergreen tree from ocean islands often called puka
is native to South America rather than to oceanic regions
Surface Forms
Etymology
Puka for a South American shrub probably comes from a native language such as Quechua, where puka means 'red'. Local people often used short words like this to name plants, so that local name stuck as the shrub's common name.
