Sterculia acerifolia
- noun
- Australian
- The Sterculia acerifolia is admired for its spectacular display of red flowers each spring.
Examples
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Many parks in Australia have Sterculia acerifolia planted for their ornamental beauty.
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During the blooming season, the Sterculia acerifolia attracts numerous birds and photographers.
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The Sterculia acerifolia is a stunning tree in bloom.
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Have you seen the Sterculia acerifolia in the park?
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In the spring, the Sterculia acerifolia transforms the park with its vibrant red flowers.
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Visitors often take photos of the stunning Sterculia acerifolia when it is in full bloom.
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The beautiful Sterculia acerifolia is a favorite among local gardeners for its striking appearance.
Synonyms
A tall Australian tree with bright scarlet flowers
A tree from South Australia that has groups of bright red flowers
Surface Forms
Morphology
Sterculia + acerifolia
This is a Latin binomial: while 'Sterculia' refers to a genus of tropical trees, the specific epithet 'acerifolia' is a Latin-form element not listed in the dictionary and would be unfamiliar to a B1 learner. Scientific names are not composed in everyday English semantic patterns, so the overall meaning ('a particular species of tree') cannot be reliably derived from the parts by an average B1 learner.
Etymology
Sterculia acerifolia gets its common name 'flame tree' from its large clusters of bright red flowers that look like flames. The Latin second word, acerifolia, means 'maple-leaved', so the name creates a clear picture of a showy tree with maple-like leaves and flame-like blooms, which helps you remember it is an Australian ornamental tree.