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Glite Dictionary
Tephrosia virginiana

Tephrosia virginiana

9.9
A small bush from eastern North America with soft leaves and yellow-pink flowers used to make insect poison
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Tephrosia virginiana
  • Gardeners value Tephrosia virginiana for its attractive flowers and nitrogen-fixing ability.

Examples

  • Botanists study Tephrosia virginiana for its natural production of rotenone.

  • The prairie was dotted with clusters of Tephrosia virginiana in full bloom.

  • The Tephrosia virginiana plant thrives in sandy soils.

  • Have you seen the Tephrosia virginiana blooming this spring?

  • Farmers often plant Tephrosia virginiana to enhance soil quality through nitrogen fixation.

  • During the summer, the vibrant yellowish-rose flowers of Tephrosia virginiana attract various pollinators.

  • In traditional medicine, Tephrosia virginiana has been utilized as a source of rotenone for pest control.

Synonyms

wild sweet pea
vsTephrosia virginiana
  • US
8.2

A low bush with soft leaves and small yellow-pink flowers that grows in eastern North America

is the scientific name rather than the common name
goat's rue
vsTephrosia virginiana
  • Specialized
9.9

A North American bush with soft hairy leaves and pale flowers sometimes used to kill insects

is the botanical name used in formal contexts rather than common usage

Surface Forms

Tephrosia virginiana singular
Tephrosia virginianas plural

Morphology

Tephrosia + virginiana

This is a standard Linnaean binomial made of the genus name 'Tephrosia' and the Latin epithet 'virginiana' (meaning 'from Virginia'), so the combined form straightforwardly denotes a species of Tephrosia originating in Virginia. Although specific botanical details (habit, flower colour, chemical uses) are not implied by the name, an average B1 learner who knows the two constituents would understand it refers to a plant species and its geographic origin.

Etymology

Tephrosia virginiana may come from Greek and a place name: Tephrosia refers to the plant's ash-coloured, soft, hairy leaves ('tephros' means 'ash'), and virginiana means 'from Virginia'. So the name paints a clear picture of a grey, hairy little shrub from Virginia and helps you remember what it looks like.