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Glite Dictionary
genus Tussilago

genus Tussilago

9.7
A group of low, creeping plants with yellow flowers like coltsfoot
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs ˈtʌsɪˌleɪɡoʊ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Tussilago
  • The flowers of the genus Tussilago appear before their leaves in early spring.

Examples

  • The genus Tussilago is best known for its only widespread species, coltsfoot.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the genus Tussilago for its early blooms.

  • Botanists sometimes debate whether certain plants should be included in the genus Tussilago or classified separately.

  • The genus Tussilago includes several species of coltsfoot.

  • The genus Tussilago is commonly found in temperate regions and is recognizable by its yellow flowers.

  • Many scientists conduct research on the genus Tussilago to understand its ecological role.

  • In spring, the genus Tussilago produces bright yellow flowers that attract early pollinators.

Synonyms

Tussilago
vsgenus Tussilago
  • Specialized
9.9

A low plant with yellow flowers that grows in damp places like coltsfoot

uses a phrase that states the taxonomic rank explicitly

Surface Forms

genus Tussilago singular
genera Tussilago plural

Morphology

genus + Tussilago

The phrase is fully compositional: 'genus' denotes a biological rank (a group of related species) and 'Tussilago' is the proper name of that genus, so the meaning is simply the genus named Tussilago (the coltsfoots). Taxonomic noun phrases of the form 'genus X' are cross-linguistically common and follow a straightforward, transparent pattern that a B1 learner who knows both constituents can understand.

Etymology

Genus Tussilago comes from the Latin word tussis, meaning 'cough'. People long ago used the plant 'coltsfoot' to help coughs, so the name became the scientific name for this group of plants.