glaucous bristlegrass
- noun
- The bristly seed heads are a key feature in identifying glaucous bristlegrass in the field.
Examples
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Farmers try to control glaucous bristlegrass because it competes with crops for nutrients.
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Glaucous bristlegrass often takes over roadsides and disturbed areas throughout the summer.
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The glaucous bristlegrass grows abundantly in the fields.
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Many farmers consider glaucous bristlegrass a nuisance.
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Glaucous bristlegrass commonly grows along the sides of highways, where it can thrive in poor soil.
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During the summer months, glaucous bristlegrass can be seen swaying in fields, often outcompeting other plants.
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The distinctive bristly heads of glaucous bristlegrass make it easily recognizable among other types of grass.
Synonyms
A common bristly grass with yellow flower heads like a fox tail that often grows as a weed
A common grass weed with bristly yellow seed heads that grows in fields and gardens
A common grass that grows as a weed in fields with bristly seed heads
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun combination: 'glaucous' (waxy, frosted look) simply describes the appearance of 'bristlegrass', so the overall meaning is directly derivable from the parts. This follows a common compositional pattern (adjective modifying a noun) found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand the MWE.
Etymology
The name glaucous bristlegrass comes from how the plant looks: glaucous is a word for a pale 'blue-green' waxy colour on the leaves, and bristlegrass means a grass with 'bristly seed heads'. So the name describes this common weedy grass with bluish leaves and stiff bristly seeds.