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Glite Dictionary
Erica perspicua

Erica perspicua

9.9
A South African shrub with many small white flowers
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : erica perspicua
  • Gardeners value Erica perspicua for its showy clusters of white blooms.

Examples

  • The Erica perspicua blooms beautifully in the spring.

  • I love the delicate white flowers of the Erica perspicua.

  • Erica perspicua thrives in well-drained, acidic soils typical of the South African fynbos.

  • We planted Erica perspicua along the border to add year-round interest.

  • Erica perspicua produces stunning white flowers that attract many pollinators.

  • The fragrant blossoms of Erica perspicua fill the garden with a lovely scent in spring.

  • Many landscape designers choose Erica perspicua for its striking appearance and drought resistance.

Surface Forms

Erica perspicua singular
Erica perspicuas plural

Morphology

erica + perspicua

This is a Latin binomial (a scientific species name) rather than a compositional English phrase; knowing 'Erica' only signals a plant genus, but it does not allow a B1 learner to derive the detailed meaning ‘a South African shrub with profuse white flowers’. The second element 'perspicua' is not a common English word (and species epithets are often arbitrary or technical), so the overall name is not predictable from its parts and will be opaque to learners.

Etymology

Erica perspicua may come from old Latin words: Erica was the name for a small bush like 'heath' and perspicua means 'clear' or 'easy to see'. One popular idea is the name points to the plant's bright, easy-to-see white flowers, which is why the name fits today.