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Glite Dictionary
Argemone mexicana

Argemone mexicana

9.9
A prickly annual plant with large yellow flowers often called Mexican poppy
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Argemone mexicana
  • We identified the plant as Argemone mexicana by its distinctive yellow flowers and prickly stems.

Examples

  • The garden featured several specimens of Argemone mexicana in full bloom.

  • Local healers sometimes use Argemone mexicana in traditional remedies despite its toxicity.

  • The Argemone mexicana is often found in disturbed areas.

  • Have you seen the Argemone mexicana blooming this season?

  • The garden featured several specimens of Argemone mexicana in full bloom.

  • We identified the plant as Argemone mexicana by its distinctive yellow flowers and prickly stems.

  • Local healers sometimes use Argemone mexicana in traditional remedies despite its toxicity.

Synonyms

Mexican poppy
vsArgemone mexicana
  • US
8.6

A plant that lives for one year with prickly stems and bright yellow flowers

is the formal scientific name used in plant classification

Surface Forms

Argemone mexicana singular
Argemone mexicanas plural

Morphology

Argemone + mexicana

This is a Latin binomial composed of a genus name plus a geographic epithet; the structure is compositional so knowing 'Argemone' (a genus of prickly poppies) and the cognate 'mexicana' (of/from Mexico) yields the meaning 'the Argemone species from Mexico'. Although 'mexicana' is not a common English dictionary headword, its form is transparently interpretable as 'Mexican' across many languages, so a learner who knows the parts can infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Argemone mexicana may come from two parts. The word Argemone may come from an old Greek word for an 'eye disease' because people once used the plant's juice for eye remedies, and mexicana means 'from Mexico', so the name helps you remember a prickly, yellow-flowered plant from Mexico that was used in old remedies.