Dacrydium cupressinum
- noun
- Specialized
- The wood of Dacrydium cupressinum is prized for its durability and attractive reddish hue.
Examples
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Many old forests in New Zealand are dominated by Dacrydium cupressinum.
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Conservationists are working to protect Dacrydium cupressinum from logging and habitat loss.
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The Dacrydium cupressinum grows tall in the forests of New Zealand.
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Many carpenters prefer Dacrydium cupressinum for its durability.
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The wood of Dacrydium cupressinum is prized for its durability and attractive reddish hue.
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Many old forests in New Zealand are dominated by Dacrydium cupressinum.
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Conservationists are working to protect Dacrydium cupressinum from logging and habitat loss.
Synonyms
A tall evergreen tree from New Zealand that has reddish bark and wood used for furniture
A tall New Zealand tree with reddish wood used for furniture
Surface Forms
Morphology
Dacrydium + cupressinum
This is a Latin binomial (genus + specific epithet), so a learner who knows 'Dacrydium' as a tree genus and interprets 'cupressinum' as cypress-like could infer it names a particular species of tree. The precise common name 'rimu' and specific properties (tall evergreen valued for timber) are not directly recoverable from the parts, so the meaning is only partially predictable.
Etymology
Dacrydium cupressinum may come from old Greek and Latin words: Dacrydium from a Greek word meaning 'tear', a picture for its small resin drops or cone shape, and cupressinum meaning 'like a cypress'. So the name paints a simple picture of the tall evergreen we call rimu, which helps explain why this scientific name fits the tree.