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Glite Dictionary
pipestem clematis

pipestem clematis

8.7
A climbing vine from California with thin woody stems and showy flowers
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : clemátide pipestem
  • The pipestem clematis flourishes in the California sunshine, producing vibrant purple flowers.

Examples

  • The pipestem clematis is well adapted to the dry hillsides of California.

  • The pipestem clematis thrives in California's warm climate.

  • Gardeners appreciate the unique flowers that appear on the pipestem clematis each spring.

  • Wildlife often seek shelter among the tangled vines of the pipestem clematis.

  • I saw a beautiful pipestem clematis in the garden.

  • Many gardeners choose the pipestem clematis for its attractive foliage and ability to grow in tough conditions.

  • In my backyard, the pipestem clematis has become a favorite due to its hardiness and beautiful blooms.

Surface Forms

pipestem clematis singular
pipestem clematises plural

Morphology

pipestem + Clematis

The phrase names a type of clematis characterized by stems like a 'pipestem', so its overall meaning is directly compositional from 'pipestem' (a reed-like stem) + 'clematis' (a flowering vine). This noun-noun naming pattern is a regular, cross-linguistic way to form plant names, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Pipestem clematis gets its name from the plant's thin, straight woody stems that look like a 'pipe stem' used for smoking. So pipestem describes the stems and clematis is the plant, and the name now means a clematis with pipe-like stems.