shame plant
- noun
- /ʃeɪm plænt/
:
planta de la vergüenza
- The shame plant quickly closed its leaves when I touched it during our trip to the rainforest.
Examples
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Many gardens grow the shame plant for its fascinating reaction to movement.
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Children are often amazed by how the shame plant responds to a gentle tap.
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The shame plant is known for its unique reaction to touch.
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Have you seen a shame plant in the garden?
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Children are often amazed by how the shame plant responds to a gentle tap.
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Many gardens grow the shame plant for its fascinating reaction to movement.
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The shame plant quickly closed its leaves when I touched it during our trip to the rainforest.
Synonyms
A small tropical plant with leaves that quickly fold and droop when touched or at night
A small bush from the tropics whose leaves fold when touched and that has sharp thorns
A prickly bush from tropical America whose leaves fold when touched or in bright light
A tropical plant whose leaves fold when touched or at night
A tropical plant with grey-green leaves that fold when touched and stems with curved thorns
A tropical plant whose small leaves fold quickly when touched or at night
A plant with leaves that fold together when you touch them
Surface Forms
Morphology
shame + plant
The name links 'shame' (embarrassment/shyness) with 'plant' via an obvious anthropomorphic metaphor, so a B1 learner who knows both words can plausibly infer it refers to a plant that acts 'shy' or withdraws when touched. However, the exact biological behaviour (the sensitive folding of Mimosa pudica) and the idiomatic use as a plant name are not fully predictable from the constituents, making the relation only partially transparent.
Etymology
Shame plant gets its name from the way its leaves fold and droop when touched. People thought this made the plant look 'shy' or 'ashamed', so they called it the shame plant.
