Crotalaria spectabilis
- noun
- Specialized
- The distinctive rattling sound comes from the seeds inside the pods of Crotalaria spectabilis.
Examples
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The Crotalaria spectabilis is often found in Indian gardens.
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Botanists often study Crotalaria spectabilis for its striking flowers and ecological impact.
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The farmer removed all the Crotalaria spectabilis from his fields due to its toxicity to livestock.
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Have you ever seen a Crotalaria spectabilis in bloom?
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The distinctive rattling sound comes from the seeds inside the pods of Crotalaria spectabilis.
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Botanists often study Crotalaria spectabilis for its striking flowers and ecological impact.
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Have you ever seen a Crotalaria spectabilis in bloom?
Synonyms
A small bush from India with purple flowers and a dry seed pod that rattles when shaken
Surface Forms
Morphology
crotalaria + spectabilis
This is a Latin binomial: 'crotalaria' identifies the plant genus and 'spectabilis' (Latin-derived, meaning 'notable' or 'showy') functions as an evaluative modifier, so a learner who knows both constituents could infer it refers to a showy/noticeable crotalaria species. However, the detailed botanical features in the definition (erect subshrub, purple-tinted flowers, inflated rattling pods) are specific lexicalized knowledge that cannot be fully predicted from the parts, so the transparency is only partial.
Etymology
Crotalaria spectabilis may come from old words that describe how the plant looks and sounds. Crotalaria comes from a word for 'rattle' because its dry pods shake with seeds, and spectabilis means 'showy' for its bright flowers, so the name points to its rattling seed pods and bright flowers.
