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Glite Dictionary
Salix pentandra

Salix pentandra

9.9
A willow tree from Europe with shiny thick leaves often grown in gardens
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : sauce pentandra
  • The glossy leaves of the Salix pentandra make it a popular ornamental tree.

Examples

  • Gardeners admire Salix pentandra for its attractive, leathery foliage.

  • The Salix pentandra thrives near water sources.

  • Many wetlands in the eastern United States now feature naturalized Salix pentandra stands.

  • Look at the Salix pentandra!

  • Gardeners admire Salix pentandra for its attractive, leathery foliage.

  • The glossy leaves of the Salix pentandra make it a popular ornamental tree.

  • The Salix pentandra thrives near water sources.

Synonyms

bay willow
vsSalix pentandra
7.2

A willow tree with shiny tough leaves that grows in wet places

is described mainly as native to Europe rather than by habitat
laurel willow
vsSalix pentandra
9.3

A willow tree with shiny, thick leaves often found near water

is noted as the European native species rather than its naturalization abroad

Surface Forms

Salix pentandra singular
Salix pentandras plural

Morphology

Salix + pentandra

This is a Latin binomial: 'Salix' signals the willow genus (which is transparent) but 'pentandra' is a specialized taxonomic epithet with Greek/Latin morphology (not explained here) that a B1 learner would not reliably interpret. The full form is a species name (bay willow) functioning as a label rather than a compositional phrase, so its meaning cannot be derived by an average learner from the parts.

Etymology

Salix pentandra may get its name from old words: Salix means 'willow' and pentandra may come from a word for 'five'. Because the tree's flowers often have five parts that make pollen, the name points to a 'willow' with 'five' flower parts, which is why we use this Latin name for the 'bay willow'.