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commons in the Latin plant names

The botanical name tells something about the plant. The genus name is usually a Greek or Roman classical name, or named after a person. The species name is usually a descriptive name, e.g. grandiflora is a large-flowered plant. It may tell about the place that the plant comes from (e.g, africanus comes from Africa), the color of the flower or leaves, or the form of the leaf. It may tell the shape of the plant, or about any peculiarities that the plant has, such as heart-shaped leaves, edible fruit, or if it grows tall when fully grown.

Often the ending of the name provides the meaning, for example:

-ensis means 'from the place, as chinensis means 'from China';

-folia means 'leaves like another plant', as acerifolia means 'leaves like an acer';

-iana, -i, or -ii means named after a person, as bowdenii is named after Bowden.

NOTE: Every Latin noun (including genus) has a gender, which has nothing to do with the sex of a plant. Any adjective attached to the noun, such as the species name, must have the same gender. The gender endings are masculine (-us, -is), feminine (-a, -is), and neuter (-um, -e), with some exceptions. In the table below, the feminine form is the most common.

The meaning of plant names, table adopted from Garden plants for mediterranean climates by Graham Payne (The Crowood Press, 2002)

 
 
A

acerifolia

acetabulosa

actinophylla

aculeata

acuminata

adenophorum

adhatoda

aequalis

aestivum

aethiopica

affine

africanus

agnus-castus

alata

alaternus

alba

albidus

albomarginatus

alcea

alexandeae

aloifolia

alternifolia

altissima

amabilis

amelloides

americana

amoena

angustifolia

antioquiensis

arabicum

arborea

arborescens

arboricola

arenaria

argentata

argentea

argyrata

arizonica

armata

armeniacum

artemisoides

asiatica

atlantica

atripicifolia

atropurpureum

attenuata

augusta

aurantiacum

aurea

aureoreticulata

aureovariegatum

auriculata

australis

autumnale

aviculare

azoricum

leaves like a maple

saucer

radiating leaves

prickly

sharp-tipped

gland bearing

not touched by goats

equal

summer

from Ethiopia

like, similar

from Africa

chaste

winged

uncertain shrub (Latin)

white

nearly white

white-margined

a sort of mallow (Greek)

from Alexandra

aloe-like foliage

alternating leaves

very high

deserves to be loved

like Aster ammelus

from America

lovely, pleasing

narrow-leaved

from Antioch

from Arabia

treelike

treelike

tree dweller

growing on sand

silvered

silvery-white

silver

from Arizona (USA)

armed, with thorns

from Armenia

like artemisia

from Asia

from the Atlas mountains

leaves like atriplex

dark purple

weak

majestic

golden or orange-colored

golden

golden-veined

golden-variegated

like an ear

southern

autumn

small birds

from the Azores

B

babylonica

baileyana

banksiae

barbatus

belladonna

benjamina

betacea

bifida

bignonioides

bipinata

boliviensis

bonariensis

brachypetala

bracteata

buccinatoria

buddlejoides

byzantina

from Babylon

from Bailey

after Lady Banks

barbed or bearded

beautiful lady

small

beet-like or esculent

split in two

bignonia-like

bipinnate

from Bolivia

from Bonaria, Buenos Aires

short-petalled

with bracts

shaped like a curved horn

buddleja-like

from Turkey

C

caerulea

caffra

californica

campanulata

canadensis

canariensis

candicans

candida

canescens

cantoniensis

capensis

capreolata

carnea

carnosa

cathartica

caudatus

cerasifera

chilensis

chinensis

chlorantha

chrysophylla

ciliaris

cineraria

cirrhosa

citrinus

citridora

cneorum

coccifera

coccinea

coerulea

coggygria

colchica

communis

comosum

compactus

confusus

cordata

cordifolia

cornuta

coronarium

corymbosa

cotoneaster

crassifolium

crinata

crispum

crista-gallii

cyanaea

sky-blue

from South Africa

from California

bell- or cup-shaped

from Canada

from the Canary Islands

becoming white

pure white, shiny

gray or hoary

from Canton

from the Cape of Good Hope

having tendrils

flesh-colored

fleshy

purgative

with tail

cherry-bearing

from Chile

from China

green-flowered

golden-leaved

fringed

ashen gray

tendrilled

yellow

lemon-scented

Greek name for Daphne gnidium

berry-bearing

scarlet

sky-blue

smoke tree

from Colchis, West Georgia

common or social

many-leaved

compact, dense

confused

heart-shaped

heart-shaped leaves

horned

crown- or wreath-like

full of corymbs

cotoneaster-like

thick-leaved

long-haired

curled

a cock's comb

dark blue

D

dactylifera

dealbata

decipiens

deliciosa

densiflorus

dentata

didymobotrya

dioica

domesticum

draco

dulcis

date-bearing

whitened

deceiving

delicious

dense-flowered

toothed

divided into two racemes

male and female on different plants

cultivated

dragon

sweet

E

edulus

elastica

elatior

elatus

elegans

elliptica

erecta

ericifolia

erubescens

etrusca

europea

excelsa

exotica

edible

elastic

taller

tall

elegant, slender, willowy

ellipse-shaped

upright

erica-leaved

blushing

from Tuscany, Italy

European

tall, when fully grown

foreign

F

farinacea

festalis

ficifolia

ficus-indica

filamentosa

filifera

flavidus

flavum

flexuosa

floribunda

foetida

fruticans

fruticosa

furfuracea

starchy

festive

ficus or fig-leaved

Indian fig

many filaments

bearing filaments

pale yellow

pale yellow

bending, curvy

abundant or free-flowering

bad-smelling

becoming shrubby

shrubby

covered with scurf

G

generalis

germanica

giganteum

glabra

glauca

globulus

gloriosa

grandiflora

graveolens

general

from Germany

of large size

without hairs

covered with bluish-gray bloom

like a small globe

glorious

large-flowered

strong-smelling

H

halepensis

halimus

hederifolium

helix

heterophylla

hirsuta

hispanica

hispida

hortensis

hortorum

humile

humilis

from Aleppo

of the sea

ivy (Hedera)-leaved

spiral or twisted

leaves of varied shape

hairy

from Spain

bristly

of garden

of gardens

low-growing

dwarf, or on the ground

I

ignea

indica

indivisa

ingens

insignis

italica

glowing, on fire

from India

not divided

huge

remarkable

from Italy

J

japonicus

jucundum

juncea

from Japan

pleasing

a rush, a form of the twigs

L

laetum

landifer

laurifolius

lavigatum

laxa

leonurus

leptocheilos

leptopus

leucantha

leucocephala

leucoxylon

limon

linearis

littoralis

lobatus

longiflora

lophantha

lucidum

lusitanica

lutescens

luteus

bright

ladanum-bearing

laurel-leaved

smooth

loose, slack

lion's tail, the flower

narrow-lipped

slender-stalked

white-flowered

white-headed

white-wooded

lemon

linear

from the seashore

lobed

long-flowered

crested flowered

shining, clear

from Lusitania (Portugal)

yellowish

deep yellow

M

macrantha

macrocarpa

macroglossus

macrophylla

macrorrhiza

maculatus

madagascariensis

maderense

major

majus

manicata

margarita

marginatta

maritima

mauritianum

maxima

media

mediopicta

megapotamicum

metallica

mexicanus

microcarpa

microphylla

mimosifolia

minata

minor

mollis

multiflorus

munitum

muricatum

mutabilis

myrtyfolia

large-flowered

long-fruited

large-tongued

large-leaved

long-roored

spotted

from Madagascar

from Madeira

greater

great

long-sleeved

pearly

margined with another color

from the sea coast

from Mauretania (Morocco)

greatest

intermediate

medium-colored

belonging to a big river

metallic

from Mexico

small-fruited

small-leaved

mimosa-leaved

vermilion-colored

smaller

soft or tender, velvety

many-flowered

armed

rough, with short hard points

variable in form or color

leaves like myrtle (Myrtus)

N

nanus

narbonense

narcissiflora

nesophila

nigra

nobilis

nocturnum

nucifera

nummularium

nutans

dwarf

from Narbonne

narcissus-flowered

island-loving

black

notable, famous

of the night

nut-bearing

coin-shaped

drooping or nodding

O

oblonga

occidentalis

odorata

odoratissimum

officinalis

oligodon

olympicum

orbiculata

orientalis

ovalifolium

ovatta

oblong-shaped

western

scented

most scented

from the shop, kept by herbalist

few toothed

from Greece

circular

eastern, oriental

oval-leaved

egg-shaped

P

pallida

paniculata

papyraceus

papyrus

paradoxa

paraguayense

parviflora

pauciflora

peltatum

persicum

peruviana

petasitis

petiolare

pictum

platyphyllum

plenus

plumbaginoides

plumosus

polyanthum

populifolius

praecox

procumbens

prostratus

pseudoacacia

pulcherrima

pumilla

pungens

punicea

purpurea

pale

in a panicle

paper-like

paper

not of the expected

from Paraguay

small-flowered

few-flowered

shield-shaped

from Persia

from Peru

hat-like

long petioles (leaf stalks)

colored

broad-leaved

double, full

plumbago-like

plumed or feathery

many-flowered

leaves like poplar (Populus)

early ripening

trailing

prostrate

false acacia

most beautiful

dwarf, small

spiny, pungent

reddish-purple

purple

Q

quadrangularis

quinata

square

five-lobed

R

racemosa

radiata

radicalis

radicans

rectus

recurvata

recurvifolia

regia

reginae

repandum

repens

reptans

reticulata

revoluta

rigens

rigida

riparia

rivularis

robusta

rosea

roseus

rosmarinifolia

rotundifolia

rubicunda

rubiginosa

rubra

rugosus

flowers and fruits in racemes

bearing rays

rising from rootstock

rooting freely

straight, upright

curved back

recurved leaves

royal

of the Queen

curved up

creeping

rooting

net-veined

rolled back

rigid or stiff

rigid, stiff

from riverbanks

from brooklets

robust

red or rosy

rosy-colored

rosemary-leaved

round-leaved

ruddy

rust-red

red, ruddy

wrinkled, rough

S

salicifolius

saligna

salvifolia

sanguinea

saponaria

sarniensis

sativa

saxatilis

scaber

scandens

schizopetalus

schizophylla

scoparius

sempervirens

sepulcralis

setaceus

siliquastrum

sinensis

sordidum

speciosa

spectabilis

spinosa

splendens

stans

striata

strictum

suaveolens

suber

suberecta

suspensum

syriacus

willow-leaved

willowy

sage-leaved

blood-red

soapy

from Guernsey

cultivated

inhabiting rocks

rough feeling

climbing

deeply cut petals

split leaves

broom-like

always green

of tombs

bristle-like

siliqua (pod)-like

from China

dirty-looking

showy, spectacular

notable, spectacle

spiny

shining, splendid

sturdy, upright

streaked

upright

sweet-smelling

cork

somewhat upright

suspended

from Syria

T

tenax

tenuifolium

ternata

ternera

tinus

tobira

tomentosa

torquata

triacanthos

trichocarpa

trichophyllum

tricolor

trifasciata

trifida

trifloriata

triphylla

holding fast, tenacious

slender leaves

in threes

tender, or soft to the touch

obscure

native Japanese name

felted, hairy

with a collar

three-spined

hairy-fruited

hairy-leaved

three-colored

with three stripes

three divisions

three-leaved

three-leaved

U

ugandense

umbellatum

undulatum

unedo

unguis-cati

uniflora

utilis

uvaria

from Uganda

flowers in umbels

wavy-edged

obscure

clawed

single-flowered

useful

like a bunch of grapes

V

valentina

variegata

ventricosum

venusta

vera

viminalis

violacea

virgata

viscosa

vitifolium

volubilis

vulgaris

from Valencia, Spain

variegated leaves

swollen on one side

charming

red

long, slender shoots

violet-colored

twiggy, wand-like, of twigs

treacle-like, viscid

leaves like grape vine (Vitis)

twining, twisting around

common

 

 

UPDATED : 2008-05-09

WEBSITE  EDITOR : Krešimir J. Adamić