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Glite Dictionary
snow plant

snow plant

9.9
A bright red plant with a thick stem that grows in mountain forests while snow remains
  • noun
  • /snoʊ plænt/
  • US
translation icon : planta de nieve
  • The vibrant red color of the snow plant stands out dramatically against the white snow.

Examples

  • We spotted a rare snow plant on our hike through the Sierra Nevada forests.

  • Each spring, the appearance of the snow plant excites botanists and nature lovers alike.

  • The snow plant is a unique sight in the mountains.

  • We spotted a snow plant while hiking in California.

  • Each spring, the appearance of the snow plant excites botanists and nature lovers alike.

  • The vibrant red color of the snow plant stands out dramatically against the white snow.

  • We spotted a rare snow plant on our hike through the Sierra Nevada forests.

Synonyms

Sarcodes sanguinea
vssnow plant
  • Specialized
9.9

A fleshy bright red plant that gets food from dead matter and appears in mountain snow in spring

is the common everyday name rather than the scientific one

Surface Forms

snow plant singular
snow plants plural

Morphology

snow + plant

The compound 'snow plant' is compositional: 'snow' modifies 'plant' to indicate a plant associated with snow (one that appears while snow is on the ground). This literal descriptive pattern is common cross-linguistically and a B1 learner who knows 'snow' and 'plant' can infer the basic meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

The name snow plant comes from the bright red plant that often appears while white snow still covers the ground, so it looks like a plant growing out of the snow. That's why the name refers to the fleshy red flower people find in mountain forests.