Astragalus glycyphyllos
- noun
- Specialized
:
Astrágalo dulce
- Astragalus glycyphyllos is a perennial plant with compound leaves and yellowish flowers that grows in European hedgerows.
Examples
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The distinctive yellowish flowers of Astragalus glycyphyllos appear in late spring.
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Astragalus glycyphyllos is commonly found in hedgerows and woodland edges across Europe.
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Herbalists have traditionally used Astragalus glycyphyllos for its reputed medicinal properties.
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I found Astragalus glycyphyllos growing near the riverbank.
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Have you ever seen Astragalus glycyphyllos in the wild?
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In herbal medicine, Astragalus glycyphyllos is often used for its potential health benefits.
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During a nature walk, I spotted the yellowish flowers of Astragalus glycyphyllos blooming in a sunny glade.
Synonyms
A plant with sweet roots that flavor food and help with coughs
Surface Forms
Morphology
Astragalus + glycyphyllos
This is a Latin binomial (scientific name) rather than a compositional English phrase; while 'Astragalus' names the genus, 'glycyphyllos' is not an English lexical item (dictionary entry missing) and its Greek-derived parts would not be obvious to a B1 learner. The overall meaning ('a species of wild liquorice') cannot be derived from the surface constituents by a typical learner, so the expression is not transparently interpretable.
Etymology
Astragalus glycyphyllos comes from old Greek words: Astragalus refers to an 'ankle bone' because the plant's small seed pods look like little bones, and glycyphyllos means 'sweet leaf' because its leaves can taste a bit like liquorice, which is why people call it 'wild liquorice'.
