screwbean

9.9

A small tree or bush with twisted seed pods that grows in dry southwestern regions

noun
/ˈskruːˌbiːn/

Specialized

: tornillo

Local wildlife often feeds on the twisted pods produced by the screwbean.

Examples

The screwbean thrives in arid regions of the southwestern United States.
Researchers are studying how the screwbean adapts to harsh desert climates.
The screwbean tree is common in Arizona.
Have you seen a screwbean recently?
The screwbean produces distinctive seed pods that twist spirally.
Wild animals often eat the seed pods from the screwbean tree.
In the desert, the screwbean is known for its ability to survive with little water.

Synonyms

tornillo

vsscrewbean

Specialized

1 9.9

A small tree or shrub with twisted seed pods from dry parts of the United States and Mexico

uses the English common name instead of the Spanish one

Prosopis pubescens

vsscrewbean

Specialized

9.9

A small tree or shrub with twisted seed pods that grows in dry parts of the US and Mexico

uses the common English name rather than the Latin label

screwbean mesquite

vsscrewbean

Specialized

9.6

A small tree or shrub from the dry southwestern United States and Mexico that makes spiral seed pods

uses the simpler common name without the group label

screw bean

vsscrewbean

Specialized

9.8

A dry-land shrub or small tree with spiral seed pods from the US Southwest and Mexico

is the common name written as a single word

Compounds

screwbean mesquite

Specialized

9.6

A small tree or shrub from the dry southwestern United States and Mexico that makes spiral seed pods

Surface Forms

screwbean singular

screwbeans plural

Morphology

screwbean = screw + bean (transparent) = screw + bean

The compound names a plant whose seed pods are spirally twisted; the meanings of 'screw' (spiral) and 'bean' (seed) directly compose the name.

Etymology

Screwbean comes from screw ('a twist' or 'spiral') and bean ('a seed' or 'legume'), so it names a plant whose seed pods are twisted like a little screw.