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narrow-leaved water plantain

narrow-leaved water plantain

9.5
A water plant with long narrow leaves that grows in shallow water
  • noun
translation icon : plátano de agua de hojas estrechas
  • The narrow-leaved water plantain thrives in wetland areas.

Examples

  • Scientists studied the habitat preferences of narrow-leaved water plantain in European wetlands.

  • We identified several specimens of narrow-leaved water plantain growing along the riverbank.

  • The pond was surrounded by narrow-leaved water plantain and tall reeds.

  • I found a narrow-leaved water plantain near the pond.

  • The pond was surrounded by narrow-leaved water plantain and tall reeds.

  • We identified several specimens of narrow-leaved water plantain growing along the riverbank.

  • The narrow-leaved water plantain thrives in wetland areas.

Surface Forms

Morphology

narrow-leaved + water + plantain

The noun phrase is fully compositional: 'narrow-leaved' (narrow + leaves) describes leaf shape, 'water' signals an aquatic habitat, and 'plantain' names a type of plant. Even if the specific species name is unfamiliar, a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can infer it refers to a plant with narrow leaves that grows in water.

Etymology

Narrow-leaved water plantain is a name that describes the plant. It comes from its thin leaves (narrow-leaved), the fact it grows in ponds and wet places (water), and the plant group name plantain, so the name points to a 'water plant with narrow leaves'.