manna grass

9.8

A grass that grows in wet places with a sweet smell or taste

noun

: hierba de maná

Cattle are known to graze on manna grass during the spring when it is most plentiful.

Examples

The botanist identified several species of manna grass along the riverbank.
The manna grass grows near the river.
Manna grass often grows in marshy meadows and is prized for its sweet aroma.
Many farmers cultivate manna grasses for their sweet flavor.
Fowl manna grass grows abundantly in wetlands, attracting birds with its sweet seeds.
The lush manna grass swayed gently in the breeze, filling the air with its pleasant fragrance.
Farmers often plant manna grass near ponds to enhance the habitat for local wildlife.

Synonyms

sweet grass

vsmanna grass

1 6.9

A grass with a sweet smell that grows near water

is an alternative common name for the same plants

Glyceria

vsmanna grass

Specialized

9.9

A type of grass that grows in wet places

is the common name used for these genus grasses noted for sweetness

Surface Forms

manna grass singular

manna grasses plural

Morphology

manna + grass

The compound 'manna grass' transparently combines 'manna' (a sweet edible substance) with 'grass', so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a kind of grass associated with a sweet sap or fragrance. However, the precise botanical reference (several moisture-loving species of the genus Glyceria) is specialized and not fully predictable from the parts alone, so full understanding requires domain exposure.

Etymology

Manna grass gets its name from manna, the 'food from heaven' in the Bible, a word people later used for any sweet or special food. This grass has a sweet taste or smell and animals eat it, so the name manna grass helps explain its meaning today.