sand sedge

9.3

A grass-like plant that grows in sandy places like coastal dunes and helps hold the sand

noun

: juncia de arena

The sand sedge thrives in coastal dunes and helps stabilize the sandy soil.

Examples

The rootstock of the sand sedge was once valued for its medicinal properties.
Gardeners sometimes use sand sedge as a ground cover in poor, sandy soils.
Look at that sand sedge!
The sand sedge thrives in coastal areas.
Gardeners sometimes use sand sedge as a ground cover in poor, sandy soils.
The sand sedge thrives in coastal dunes and helps stabilize the sandy soil.
The rootstock of the sand sedge was once valued for its medicinal properties.

Synonyms

Carex arenaria

vssand sedge

Specialized

9.9

A grass-like plant that grows in sand near the sea and helps hold sand on dunes

is the common name rather than the formal botanical name

sand reed

vssand sedge

9.4

A coastal plant with long leaves that helps hold sand dunes

is native to European sandy coasts without noting introduction elsewhere

Surface Forms

sand sedge singular

sand sedges plural

Morphology

sand + sedge

The compound is fully compositional: 'sand' specifies the substrate/habitat and 'sedge' names the grass‑like plant, so together they denote a sedge that grows in sandy areas. This noun–noun formation follows a common descriptive pattern cross‑linguistically, making the meaning readily inferable to a B1 learner who knows both words.

Etymology

Sand sedge is a name made from sand and sedge, meaning a sedge that grows in sandy ground near the sea. Its root was once used as a 'medicine', so today the name refers to the grass-like coastal plant with a useful root.