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Glite Dictionary
Oxalis violacea

Oxalis violacea

9.9
A plant from eastern North America that lives for several years with purple five-petaled flowers and leaves like clover
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Oxalis violacea
  • The delicate blooms of Oxalis violacea add a splash of color to woodland gardens.

Examples

  • You can find Oxalis violacea growing wild in moist, shaded areas throughout the Midwest.

  • Researchers studied the medicinal uses of Oxalis violacea among indigenous peoples.

  • Look at the Oxalis violacea!

  • I see Oxalis violacea.

  • The delicate blooms of Oxalis violacea add a splash of color to woodland gardens.

  • You can find Oxalis violacea growing wild in moist, shaded areas throughout the Midwest.

  • Researchers studied the medicinal uses of Oxalis violacea among indigenous peoples.

Synonyms

violet wood sorrel
vsOxalis violacea
  • US
9.8

A small plant with clover-like leaves and purple-pink flowers

uses typically instead, sounding slightly more formal

How Ornamental

Oxalis violacea
  • Specialized
9.9
garden plant
1 1.0
herb garden
5 2.0
wildling
8.2

Surface Forms

Oxalis violacea singular
Oxalis violaceas plural

Morphology

Oxalis + violacea

This is a scientific Latin binomial (genus + specific epithet). A B1 learner who only knows 'Oxalis' and has no entry for 'violacea' cannot derive the species-specific meaning (which depends on Latin/technical knowledge of 'violacea' = violet-coloured), so the compound is not predictable from the given constituents.

Etymology

Oxalis violacea comes from two parts: Oxalis, from a Greek word meaning 'sour' because the plant's leaves taste sour, and violacea, meaning 'violet' because the flowers are purple. So the name helps you remember it as a sour-leaved plant with violet flowers.