annual salt-marsh aster
- noun
- /ˈæn.ju.əl sɔlt mɑrʃ ˈæs.tər/
- Specialized
:
aster de marisma anual
- Wildlife often rely on the annual salt-marsh aster for nectar in late summer.
Examples
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The annual salt-marsh aster grows abundantly along the mid-Atlantic coastline.
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We spotted several annual salt-marsh asters blooming in the tidal wetlands.
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The annual salt-marsh aster blooms beautifully in the summer.
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Have you seen the annual salt-marsh asters in the coastal area?
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The annual salt-marsh aster thrives in the salty soil near the shore, flourishing with its pale purple flowers.
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During our hike, we noticed clusters of annual salt-marsh asters populating the wetlands.
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The annual salt-marsh aster is essential for local pollinators, providing food in the late summer months.
How Long
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally transparent: it denotes an aster (a type of flower) that is annual and grows in salt marshes, so a learner who knows 'annual', 'salt', 'marsh' and 'aster' can readily infer the meaning. Even though 'salt-marsh' was not listed in the dictionary entry, its parts and the noun–modifier pattern are straightforward and cross-linguistically common, making the MWE predictable to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Annual salt-marsh aster is a simple, descriptive name: annual means 'one year', salt-marsh shows it grows in 'salty wet places', and aster comes from a word for 'star' because the small flowers look like little stars. So the name tells you it is a one-year plant with star-like flowers that lives in salt marshes.