staff-tree family
- noun
- Specialized
- Many species in the staff-tree family are grown for their ornamental fruit.
Examples
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The staff-tree family includes both tropical and temperate plants.
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Bright red berries are a characteristic feature of the staff-tree family.
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The staff-tree family includes various species with colorful fruits.
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Many gardeners appreciate the staff-tree family for its ornamental value.
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Bright red berries are a characteristic feature of the staff-tree family.
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Many species in the staff-tree family are grown for their ornamental fruit.
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The staff-tree family includes both tropical and temperate plants.
Synonyms
A group of trees, bushes, and climbing plants that often have bright fruits
A group of trees, shrubs, and vines with bright fruits often eaten by birds
Surface Forms
Morphology
staff-tree + family
Although 'staff-tree' is a rare lexical item (not found in the provided dictionary), the pattern 'X family' is a regular, transparent taxonomic construction: a learner who knows 'staff-tree' as a type of plant and 'family' as a scientific grouping will readily infer 'a family of staff-trees'. This compositional, cross-linguistically common pattern makes the MWE meaning predictable from its parts.
Etymology
Staff-tree family may come from the words staff and tree because a common member called the 'staff tree' had straight, strong branches used as 'walking sticks'. Many plants in this family also have bright, colorful fruits, so the name now means the group of trees and shrubs that often bear showy berries.