Home UK English ruderal

Meaning of ruderal in English:

ruderal

Pronunciation /ˈruːd(ə)r(ə)l/

adjective

Botany

  • (of a plant) growing on waste ground or among rubbish.

    ‘Once these openings close, the ruderal species disappear.’
    • ‘Most of the non-endemic species within this group have adapted to ruderal areas, while none of the endemics occupies this kind of habitat.’
    • ‘These populations are morphologically distinct from the more typical ruderal form which often occurs in close proximity in surrounding pastureland.’
    • ‘Most of the introduced woody species exist in ruderal habitats.’
    • ‘Other studies have found compositional shifts in plant species with greater proportions of ruderal and invasive species in the downriver direction, possibly reflecting greater disturbance rates downriver.’

noun

Botany

  • A plant growing on waste ground or among rubbish.

    ‘Bupleurum lancifolium and B. odontites occur in North Africa, but their original area of distribution is not clear as both species have been introduced and are ruderals or weeds in cultivated land.’
    • ‘One of the characteristics of ruderals is a high potential relative growth rate in the seedling phase.’

Origin

Mid 19th century from modern Latin ruderalis, from Latin rudera, plural of rudus ‘rubble’.