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Glite Dictionary
Malosma laurina

Malosma laurina

9.9
A green bushy plant from California with strong-smelling leaves and small pale berries
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Malosma laurina
  • The aromatic leaves of Malosma laurina give off a distinctive scent when crushed.

Examples

  • The aromatic leaves of Malosma laurina are easily recognizable along hiking trails.

  • Malosma laurina thrives in the chaparral regions of Southern California.

  • Researchers studied the ecological role of Malosma laurina in wildfire recovery.

  • The Malosma laurina is a beautiful shrub found in California.

  • Have you seen the Malosma laurina blooming this season?

  • In the summer, Malosma laurina produces clusters of whitish berries that attract birds.

  • Hikers often admire the resilience of Malosma laurina in California's wild landscapes.

Synonyms

laurel sumac
vsMalosma laurina
  • US
9.9

A small evergreen bush from California with scented leaves and whitish berries

is the formal scientific name rather than the common name
Rhus laurina
vsMalosma laurina
  • Specialized
9.9

A small evergreen shrub from California with fragrant leaves and whitish berries

keeps a different scientific genus classification in this naming

Surface Forms

Malosma laurina singular

Morphology

Malosma + laurina

This is a botanical binomial: 'Malosma' names a genus of shrubs, so a learner who knows that constituent can infer the phrase refers to a kind of shrub. However, the species epithet 'laurina' is a Latin label (not a common English word) and the detailed attributes (aromatic, evergreen, native to California) are not deducible without botanical/Linnaean knowledge, so the meaning is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Malosma laurina gets its species name laurina from Latin for 'laurel-like' because its shiny, aromatic leaves look like those of a laurel. That's why people call it 'laurel sumac' and the leaf image helps you remember the plant.