Australian pitcher plant
- noun
- Australian
:
planta jarra australiana
- The Australian pitcher plant is admired for its elegant green pitchers with red-edged lids.
Examples
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The Australian pitcher plant traps insects with its unique tubular leaves.
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Many Australian pitcher plants grow in nutrient-poor soils.
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Botanists discovered a new colony of Australian pitcher plant in western Australia.
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The Australian pitcher plant is known for its unique shape.
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Recent studies have shown that the Australian pitcher plant effectively catches a variety of insects.
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In botanical gardens, the Australian pitcher plant is often showcased for its striking red-edged leaves.
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The Australian pitcher plant thrives in the wild, where it absorbs nutrients from fallen prey.
Synonyms
A small plant from western Australia with pitcher-shaped leaves that trap insects
A small plant from southwestern Australia with pitcher-shaped leaves that catch insects
A group of insect-eating plants with one species, the Australian pitcher plant
Surface Forms
Morphology
Australian + pitcher + plant
The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from the constituents: 'Australian' indicates origin, 'pitcher' describes the pitcher-shaped (tubular) leaf, and 'plant' identifies the organism. This straightforward noun-modifier combination follows common English compounding patterns and a B1 learner who knows the three words would readily infer it is a plant from Australia with pitcher-shaped leaves.
Etymology
Australian pitcher plant gets its name from its leaves that look like a pitcher, a tall cup with a lid that insects fall into and cannot escape. Because the plant catches and eats those insects, it is called 'carnivorous', and that clear picture explains the name.
