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Glite Dictionary
Rhus trilobata

Rhus trilobata

9.9
A small bush with leaves in three parts and small edible berries
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Rhus trilobata
  • The berries of Rhus trilobata were traditionally used by Native Americans to make beverages.

Examples

  • Gardeners often plant Rhus trilobata for its drought resistance and vibrant autumn foliage.

  • Many animals feed on the fruits of Rhus trilobata during the late summer months.

  • The Rhus trilobata is commonly found in California.

  • Have you ever seen a Rhus trilobata in the wild?

  • Many animals feed on the fruits of Rhus trilobata during the late summer months.

  • The berries of Rhus trilobata were traditionally used by Native Americans to make beverages.

  • Gardeners often plant Rhus trilobata for its drought resistance and vibrant autumn foliage.

Synonyms

skunkbush
vsRhus trilobata
  • US
1 9.9

A small California shrub with smelly leaves and red edible berries

is the scientific Latin name rather than this common English label
squaw-bush
vsRhus trilobata
  • NSFW
9.9

A shrub that grows in dry California areas with three-part smelly leaves and edible fruit

is the scientific Latin name for the same shrub rather than a common name
squawbush
vsRhus trilobata
  • NSFW
9.9

A small bush with strong-smelling three-part leaves and edible berries

is the scientific Latin name rather than a popular naming form

Surface Forms

Rhus trilobata singular
Rhus trilobatas plural

Morphology

Rhus + trilobata

This is a Latin binomial: 'Rhus' (sumac) may be recognizable, but 'trilobata' is a specialized Latin epithet rather than an ordinary English word — its morphological parts ('tri-' and 'lobate') are not reliably interpretable by an average B1 learner. Species names are technical and not compositionally transparent to learners, so the MWE's botanical meaning cannot be derived from the constituent words alone.

Etymology

Rhus trilobata gets its name from older words: Rhus is the name for 'sumac' and trilobata means 'three-lobed', because each leaf usually has three parts. So the name gives a simple picture of a small sumac shrub with three-part leaves and berries people used to make drinks.