screw augur

9.9

A kind of orchid that has tall stems and a spiral of small white, sweet-smelling flowers

noun
/skruː ˈɔːɡər/

Specialized

: orquídea espiral

The screw augur is easily identified by its spiral of delicate white flowers.

Examples

Walking through the wetlands, we spotted a screw augur blooming among the reeds.
Many gardeners love the screw augur for its fragrance.
Many wildflower enthusiasts hope to see a screw augur in its natural habitat during summer.
The screw augur blooms beautifully in spring.
Many wildflower enthusiasts hope to see a screw augur in its natural habitat during summer.
Walking through the wetlands, we spotted a screw augur blooming among the reeds.
The screw augur is easily identified by its spiral of delicate white flowers.

Synonyms

Spiranthes cernua

vsscrew augur

Specialized

9.9

An orchid with spiraling white flowers that smells like vanilla and grows in damp eastern and central North America

has identical botanical description but uses a different name form

Surface Forms

screw augur singular

screw augurs plural

Morphology

screw + augur

The element 'screw' evokes a spiral shape, which aligns with the plant's spiraling flower clusters, so there is a visible morphological link; however 'augur' here is either rare/ambiguous (not a common noun in learners' dictionaries) or could be confused with 'auger'/'augur', making the exact botanical sense and referent non-obvious. Because the name is a specialized taxonomic/common name that requires domain knowledge or correct interpretation of 'augur/auger', the connection is only partially predictable to a B1 learner who merely knows the constituents.

Etymology

Screw augur may come from the way its small flowers twist around the stem in a tight spiral, looking like a screw or an old hand auger, a tool 'for making holes'. So the name helps you remember this orchid by its spiral of white flowers.