Latin word of plants

There are so many plant names to learn as it is, so why do we use Latin names too? And exactly what are Latin plant names anyway? Simple. Scientific Latin plant names are used as a means of classifying or identifying specific plants. Let’s learn more about the meaning of Latin plant names with this short but sweet botanical nomenclature guide.

What are Latin Plant Names?

Unlike its common name (of which there may be several), the Latin name for a plant is unique to each plant. Scientific Latin plant names help describe both the “genus” and “species” of plants in order to better categorize them.

The binomial (two-name) system of nomenclature was developed by Swedish naturalist, Carl Linnaeus in the mid-1700s. Grouping plants according to similarities such as leaves, flowers, and fruit, he founded a natural order and named them accordingly. The “genus” is the larger of the two groups and can be equated to the use of a last name like “Smith.” For example, the genus identifies one as “Smith” and the species would be akin to an individual’s first name, like “Joe.”

Combining the two names gives us a unique term for this person’s individual name just as combing the “genus” and “species” scientific Latin plant names gives us a unique botanical nomenclature guide for each individual plant.

The difference between the two nomenclatures being, that in Latin plant names the genus is listed first and is always capitalized. The species (or specific epithet) follows the genus name in lowercase and the entire Latin plant name is italicized or underlined.

Why Do We Use Latin Plant Names?

The use of Latin plant names can be confusing to the home gardener, sometimes even intimidating. There is, however, a very good reason to use Latin plant names.

Latin words for the genus or species of a plant are descriptive terms used to describe a specific type of plant and its characteristics. Using Latin plant names helps to avert confusion caused by the often contradictory and multiple common names an individual may have.

In binomial Latin, the genus is a noun and the species is a descriptive adjective for it. Take, for example, Acer is the Latin plant name (genus) for maple. Since there are many different types of maple, another name (the species) is added too for positive identification. So, when confronted with the name Acer rubrum (red maple), the gardener will know he/she is looking at a maple with vibrant, red, fall leaves. This is helpful as Acer rubrum remains the same regardless of whether the gardener is in Iowa or elsewhere in the world.

The Latin plant name is a description of the plant’s characteristics. Take Acer palmatum, for example. Again, ‘Acer’ means maple while the descriptive ‘palmatum’ means shaped like a hand, and it is derived from ‘platanoides,’ meaning “resembling the plane tree.” Therefore, Acer platanoides means you are looking at a maple that resembles the plane tree.

When a new strain of plant is developed, the new plant needs a third category to further describe its one-of-a-kind characteristic. This instance is when a third name (the plant’s cultivar) is added to the Latin plant name. This third name may represent the developer of the cultivar, location of origin or hybridization, or a specific unique characteristic.

Meaning of Latin Plant Names

For quick reference, this botanical nomenclature guide (via Cindy Haynes, Dept. of Horticulture) contains some of the most common meanings of Latin plant names that are found in popular garden plants.

While it isn’t necessary to learn scientific Latin plant names, they may be of significant aid to the gardener as they contain information regarding specialized characteristics among similar plant species.

Resources:
https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/1999/7-23-1999/latin.html
https://web.extension.illinois.edu/state/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=17126
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1963&context=extension_histall
https://wimastergardener.org/article/whats-in-a-name-understanding-botanical-or-latin-names

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but it sure could lead to confusion. Plants can have multiple common names, and a case of mistaken identity may lead to incorrect advice and unwanted purchases. In this article, we’ll explain all about latin plant names and how these reduce confusion and help growers better understand their plants.

What is the purpose of latin plant names? A formal naming system was developed to uniquely and meaningfully identify every plant. Latinized names offer information about a plant’s classification, origins, and characteristics. This universally adopted system has rules that govern how these names are officially assigned and updated.

What’s In A Plant Name?

Common names can be colorful and easy to
use, but they have no rules. Common names may be inconsistent, misleading, or
duplicative. Because these freewheeling labels aren’t universal, it can be hard
for people in different areas to accurately communicate about their plants.

As confusing as Latin plant names may seem, they can actually be less confusing than their commonplace counterparts.

For example, the popular Monstera deliciosa is known in different locales as a Hurricane Plant, Mexican Breadfruit, Ceriman, Swiss Cheese Plant, Fruit Salad Tree, Window leaf, or Penglai Banana. It’s out of control.

Science’s answer was to create a completely
separate system using unique Latin names. It may seem strange to use a dead
language, but Latin has advantages. It is not subject to change, and it isn’t
open to bias toward a certain region or language.

The Latin naming system is called binomial
nomenclature because it uses two terms that together can identify every plant
in existence. Each two-termed name, or binomen, has formal rules governing its
publication and subsequent alterations. These terms may include information
such as a plant’s color, geographical origin, or other characteristics.

How The Latin Plant Names System Was Developed

The current binomial naming convention was started by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778). In his cataloging work, Species Plantarum, Linnaeus condensed plant names to a single term of classification followed by a one-word “trivial name.” He used Latin forms that were commonly understood by the scientific community of his time.

Before Linnaeus, formal plant names used a polynomial structure that consisted of a generic name combined with a secondary descriptive phrase. Early classification efforts seem far fetched and even humorous today. Examples included grouping plants by their color, shape, or location.

As more species were discovered, polynomial
taxonomy became unwieldy. When Linnaeus’s binomial scheme appeared, it was
quickly adopted for its logic, economy, and ease of use. Though the modern
concept of evolution hadn’t been introduced at that time, the terms genus and
species had already been outlined by Aristotle. The new system was
future-proof.

As it turned out, binomial nomenclature represented a rare event when an academic advance actually simplified a subject. Today, the internationally accepted rules for naming plants are governed by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. Only names that meet the specifications are accepted and considered validly published.

You can even browse the International Plant Names Index (IPNI), which provides nomenclatural information for all known plants. This is a collaboration between The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, The Harvard University Herbaria, and The Australian National Herbarium.

How To Read Latin Plant Names

Binomial nomenclature looks (and sounds)
more complicated than it actually is. The naming convention conveys information
about a plant clearly and concisely.

Note that botanical Latin is not strictly
classical. Non-Latin terms can be used, but they are Latinized for consistency.
For example, American plants may be descriptively named americanum.

All plants are assigned two names: the genus and the species. Each name is unique within the Plantea kingdom. This two-termed name is called a binomen, and it should always be written in italics.

Genus

The first term of the binomen depicts the plant’s genus; it is called the generic epithet. The first letter is capitalized. The genus may be abbreviated to only this letter if it is understood by the reader.

The generic epithet describes the genus a
plant belongs to. Plants in the same genus share characteristics and have a
common ancestor.

Knowing the genus offers basic information
about the individual needs of a plant. This may include the plant’s preferred
soil, nutrition, and moisture levels, the temperature and humidity they thrive
in, and even disease and pest resistance.

Species

The second word of the binomen is the specific epithet, or species. This classification differentiates the plant from other members of its genus.

When the actual species is not known or
specified, “sp.” can be used as an abbreviation; “spp.” is
the plural form. Using “cf.” before the epithet indicates that
confirmation is required. These abbreviations are not italicized.

The specific epithet may describe some
aspect of the plant’s color, form, habitat, or the area it comes from. It can
honor a person, often the plant’s discoverer. For example, davisii is derived
from Davis.

Here are common types of specific epithets
with examples:

Color

• argentea – silver
• croceus – saffron-yellow
• rubens – red

Characteristics

• fragrans – scented
• tomentosum – hairy, downy
• maculata – spotted

Structural Form

• angustifolia – narrow leaves
• columnaris – columnar
• nana – small, compact

Natural Habitat

• desertorum – found in deserts
• rivularis – found growing beside brooks
• saxatilis – grows in rocks

Geographical Origin

• borealis – from the North
• japonica – from Japan
• monspeliensis – from Montpelier

Adjective

• amoenus – attractive
• eximius – strikingly unusual
• pusillus – insignificant

Additional Naming Conventions

Infraspecific Notation: Connecting Terms

Belonging to the same species doesn’t fully
define an individual plant … variations exist in nature. In such cases, an
additional term can added to the binomen. This information, called
infraspecific notation, is for plant differences that fall below the rank of
genus or species.

These connecting terms have special
abbreviations which are presented in regular case and placed before the
italicized additional name. These terms may use the same Latin descriptors used
in specific epithets.

Be aware that infraspecific notation is an
attempt to further clarify a plant’s classification without a specific
definition on where the lines are drawn. There are simply too many variations,
which means the naming process does entail some subjective evaluation.

Also note that, though the naming
conventions below cover the majority of plant names, other less common
notations do exist.

Below are the common connecting terms:

Subspecies

A plant that is a distinct variation of its species can be noted using “subsp.” or “ssp.” followed by its subspecies name. This is often based on a geographical difference. Example: Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii

Variety

Plants with a naturally occurring variation can be noted by using ‘var.’ before the identifying name. This notation is for smaller distinctions than those which define a subspecies. Example: Philodendron hederaceum var. kirkbridei

Subvariety

This older term is abbreviated as “subf.” It isn’t commonly used today. It’s meant to indicate a plant with significant features that differ from their variety. Example: Astrophytum myriostigma subvar. glabrum

Form

Plants with a very minor difference from its variety are noted with an “f.” designation. Ranked lower than variety (or subvariety) distinctions, differences in form may mean some small feature like fewer thorns or a unique leaf or flower color, etc. Example: Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum

Subform

Another former category that has been practically abandoned in the modern era, the subform was abbreviated “subf.” when in use. Example: Saxifraga aizoon subf. surculosa

Hybrids

Plant crosses are notated using a regular case “x” after the genus name. If the hybrid is the result of two species, both may be included. For example: Magnolia x loebneri

If a new species is created by
hybridization, the epithet may be written with an “x” before its
name, such as ×Sorbaronia.

Cultivar

Cultivars are new plants that were bred in
cultivation rather than being natural variations: the name is short for
“cultivated variety.”

These names are capitalized in title case
and not italicized. They’re usually modern names. The cultivar’s name can be
either placed after the abbreviation “cv.” or within single quotation
marks.

Example: Stromanthe sanguinea ‘Triostar’

The naming rules for cultivars are more
complicated than those for standard binomial nomenclature. Their naming process
is governed by the conventions of the International
Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants.

Author Citation

The person(s) accepted as originally
publishing an original plant’s description will generally be noted as the
author(s). This follows the genus and species as
a standard abbreviation of the full citation. If the plant was originally
described by Linnaeus, the author citation is abbreviated as “L.”

Sometimes authors reevaluate prior
descriptions and have them officially published. This is notated by listing the
latest author and placing an “ex” before the prior author’s name.
Subsequent revisions may add the newest author’s name so that an attribution
record is preserved.

For example, consider the full citation: Grevillea
pyramidalis subsp. leucadendron (A.Cunn. ex R.Br.) Makinson. This
indicates that Alan Cunningham updated the description published in a work by
Robert Brown (from 1830), which was redefined by Bob Makinson.

Pros And Cons Of Latin Names For Plants

Hopefully we’ve taken the mystery out of those odd italicized plant appellations. All these rules may seem to be overthinking the process, so let’s look at some pros and cons to using scientific names:

Pros

• Classification – The two-term binomen shows the relationship between plants. This helps understand the plant’s characteristics and needs. Common names do not explain these relationships.

• Accuracy – The problem with common names is that anyone can make them up, and there’s no one keeping track. A common name in one language can refer to several unrelated plants or species, and other languages may have a different name for the same plant. Binomial nomenclature is maintained to correctly and uniquely identify every plant.

• Comprehensiveness – Binomial nomenclature is designed to catalog and classify every plant. There is no such purpose in the making of common names.

• Traceable Record – The Latin naming system provides an official attribution record of those who have contributed to publishing a plant’s name and description. Common names don’t.

• Universality – Common names are local in nature, but the Latin system is consistent for all locations and languages. This facilitates communication between different areas—and across the internet.

Cons

• Pronunciation – Actually, pronunciation of Latin plant names isn’t too important—it’s only based on what we think it sounded like. There isn’t always a solid consensus as there is for modern languages. You can quickly learn common pronunciations, and your fluidity will improve as you become more familiar with Latin names.

• Harder to Remember – It’s true that Latin plant names you seldom use can be hard to remember. Common names are generally more memorable. However, no one complains about Tyrannosaurus Rex.

• Charmless – Common names are generally much more colorful and friendly. Which makes a better gift plant: Gypsophila paniculata … or Baby’s Breath?

Why Not Both?

The great thing is, you don’t have to choose. Common names are friendly, easy to use and don’t sound pretentious. Neighbors are more likely to understand what you mean. I tend to use a lot of common plant names when I write on this website, but always include the scientific name to avoid confusion.

You don’t have to be put off by scientific names either. The structured Latin naming system isn’t just for scientists – it’s for whenever you want to know exactly what you’re talking about.

Understanding Latin names of plants

In an effort to learn the official names of plants, I’m going to be making sure I use the scientific or Latin plant name whenever I refer to a plant or share a picture of a plant. There’s more to Latin plant names than just giving them a name that’s hard to remember and difficult to pronounce.  Once you understand the rules by which plants are given a name hopefully it becomes easier to recall them (that’s my plan!) There are plenty of useful wikipedia pages you can refer too — here is a list of common names with their Latin name.

As there are so many plants and so many species of plants a system for identifying plants had to be created.  With medicines being made from plants it was important that you got the right one. However, it is perhaps also simply that our instinctive human desire to understand and make sense of the natural world led scholars to group and order the plant world.

The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature ensures that no matter where you are in the world a plant can be correctly identified.

Binomial Names

In 1753 Carolus Linnaeus officially established the binomial system of nomenclature. Plants are given a name using the rule ‘Genus species‘ with the species also known as the ‘specific epithet’ is always written in lowercase.  Plant names must be written in italics if in type or underlined if handwritten. It’s a little like we name people, they have surname (or family name) and a Christian name.

Genus 

Genus names are chosen based on a variety of reasons, here are a few examples.

Descriptive

Chionanthus, where ‘chion’ means snow in Greek.