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genus Malus

genus Malus

8.6
A group of trees that includes apple and crabapple trees
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs ˈmeɪləs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Malus
  • The genus Malus includes many species of apple trees found in orchards worldwide.

Examples

  • The crabapple is a member of the genus Malus and is valued for its ornamental flowers.

  • Botanists have identified dozens of wild and cultivated varieties within the genus Malus.

  • The genus Malus includes many species of apple trees.

  • Did you know that genus Malus is part of the Rosaceae family?

  • The genus Malus consists of various types of apple trees adapted to different climates.

  • In gardens across the country, many homeowners grow fruit from the genus Malus for home use.

  • Scientists study the genus Malus to better understand apple tree cultivation and diversity.

Synonyms

Malus
vsgenus Malus
  • Specialized
1 9.3

A small tree that makes apples or crabapples

refers only to deciduous trees rather than shrubs

Surface Forms

genus Malus singular
genera Malus plural

Morphology

genus + Malus

The phrase is directly compositional: 'genus' names a biological rank and 'Malus' is the name of that genus, so together they mean the taxonomic group called Malus (apple trees). This kind of noun + proper-name taxonomic construction is conventional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Genus Malus comes from the Latin word Malus, which meant 'apple'. So the name simply means the group of apple trees, which is why it refers to different types of apple trees today.