Definition

A type of sugar that is found in some plants, especially in the leaves and flowers of poison ivy, and is part of certain plant compounds.

Example

Rhamnose is often used in research related to plant biology and glycosides.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of rhamnose?

No, I haven't. What is it?

It's a type of sugar found in some plants, like poison ivy.

That's interesting! I didn't know plants could have such unique sugars.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Rhamnose is derived from the Greek word "rhamnos" (meaning a type of shrub or buckthorn), which refers to the plant from which this sugar was first isolated. The suffix "-ose" is commonly used in chemistry to denote sugars. Thus, rhamnose refers to a sugar derived from the buckthorn plant.

Memory Tip

Think of the Greek word for a shrub, 'rhamnos', to remember that rhamnose is a sugar derived from a plant.

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