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Glite Dictionary
Pennisetum setaceum

Pennisetum setaceum

9.9
A tall garden grass with long feathery flower spikes
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Pennisetum setaceum
  • Gardeners often plant Pennisetum setaceum for its striking, feathery plumes and graceful arching leaves.

Examples

  • The soft, pinkish spikes of Pennisetum setaceum sway beautifully in the summer breeze.

  • In some regions, Pennisetum setaceum is considered invasive due to its rapid spread.

  • The garden features beautiful Pennisetum setaceum plants.

  • I love the way Pennisetum setaceum sways in the wind.

  • Gardeners often plant Pennisetum setaceum for its striking, feathery plumes and graceful arching leaves.

  • The soft, pinkish spikes of Pennisetum setaceum sway beautifully in the summer breeze.

  • In some regions, Pennisetum setaceum is considered invasive due to its rapid spread.

Synonyms

fountain grass
vsPennisetum setaceum
6.2

A tall decorative grass with long curved flower heads that people use in gardens

is the scientific name used for the same plant

Surface Forms

Pennisetum setaceum singular
Pennisetum setaceum plural

Morphology

Pennisetum + setaceum

This is a scientific Latin binomial: knowing 'Pennisetum' (a genus of grasses) would cue that it names a grass species, but the species epithet 'setaceum' is not a common English word (and is missing a dictionary gloss here), so the specific sense 'fountain grass, tall ornamental with plumes' is not fully predictable. Because the genus gives a partial cue to category (a grass) but the full, specific meaning requires botanical/lexical knowledge of the epithet, the expression is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Pennisetum setaceum comes from Latin words: penni- meaning 'feather' and setaceum meaning 'bristle' or 'hair'. The plant's long, soft flower plumes look like little feathers or a small fountain of hair, so the name fits this ornamental 'fountain grass'.