Latin names for plants book

Ipni provides nomenclatural information spelling, author, types and first place and date of publication for the scientific names of vascular plants from family. Archaic or old latin, classical latin, vulgar latin, medieval latin, renaissance latin, early modern latin, and modern latin. Their pronunciation derivation and meaning 2nd revised edition by a. There are certainly many books on the subject, and i highly recommend william stearns botanical latin 4th ed.

As for the terminology, binomial nomenclature, binomial literally means using or having two names, and nomenclature is from the latin for the assigning of names. This is a list of names in which the origin is classical latin. The meaning of latin plant names the purpose of the latin or botanical name of plants is to provide some information about a particular plant that distinguishes it from other plants. The common names of plants will, presumably, always be with us in some form or other, because they are easier to relate to and roll off the tongue better than the corresponding scientific names of plants. The plant list tpl was a working list of all known plant species produced by the botanical community in response to target 1 of the 20022010 global strategy for plant conservation gspc. This was the name of a son of saint augustine and two. The dictionary of plant names is a guide that not only cross references common names to their latin counterparts, but also details the origins, meanings, and pronunciation of each name. Therefore common names are not as reliable as botanical names for identi. Or a single common name may refer to several plants that dont look anything alike example. How they are pronounced really matters little provided they sound pleasant and are understandable by all concerned.

Just like people, plants have two names not counting cultivars, etc. The common names of the approximately 90 families represented are given in the glossary. For many gardeners, the botanical names add another level of fascinating intellectual engagement with plants. If you have ever been chastised for garbling a plants scientific name i certainly have. Monographs of the plants are arranged in alphabetical order of the latin binomial name. Botanical latin for artists and useful reference books. Birds bear safety carnivore safety web television network book a guided tour news and views questions faq feedback books. The first section describes how a confusion of common names became replaced by internationally agreed latin names and outlines the rules to be followed when a new species of plant is named. My only complaint is that i wish it were more comprehensive. Aside from the long alphabetical listings this is a beautiful book filled with gorgeous victorian style illustrations. Pick 4 memorization strategies or techniques and apply a different strategy or technique to each group of plants. John smith but written backwards essentially the genus is the surname smith, where as the species is the christian or first name john. In this way i learned most of significant plants of southwest montana before i was out of high school, or so i thought.

The names of plants is an invaluable reference for botanists and horticulturalists. Each genus name is followed by the suggested pronunciation, the family in which it is placed, and the derivation of the name latin, greek, or other. Latin originated in latium and ancient rome, but it was still heavily used for many centuries after the fall of the roman empire. Did you ever wonder why so many common names of plants end in wort, such as st. The adjective applied to the plant, the specific epithet, is often helpful in describing the plant. Latin is one of the oldest and noblest languages of all, dating as far back as 75 bc. Why are all scientist names for plants and animals in latin. A plant s common name is the name that we casually use to refer to a botanical.

Az list of house plants common and scientific names. Such a name is called a binomial name which may be. While many gardeners struggle with latin names of plants, knowing a plant s botanical name allows you to. In linnaeuss classification system, the twopart name of each plant was like a persons last name followed by the first name, as you would find names in alphabetical order in a phone book. As the book explains using the book to look up the latin name will with most plants help you place the plant in the right spot in the garden and also help with its ongoing care. Linnaeus and the world of taxonomy ask a biologist.

Rhs latin for gardeners is an informative, entertaining and beautifully illustrated unravelling of the mysteries of botanical latin. Each monograph consists of information which includes the. In an informal setting, who would be pedantic enough to prefer cerastium tomentosum as a handle to the much more romantic snowinsummer. Every known plant species found on earth has been given a twopart scientific name and new species are discovered every year. Botanical latin is essentially a written language, but the scientific names of plants often occur. Plant identification is based on the ways these plants relate to each other, mainly due to characteristics of blooms and leaf form and arrangement some of the differences are minute and microscopic. This book explains using simple language the meaning of those long latin names on plant labels at nurseries. Animals wildlife ecologyethical viewing identify an animal quick list latin quick list id by namesearch for sightings.

A latin englishpersian dictionary with more than 8,000 latin entries and 30,000 english subentries, describing authentic persian names of the plants of iran and their latin english equivalents. Botanical latin is a major challenge for many botanical artists and illustrators. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Often, plants are displayed using their common names. There are rules to follow when writing a scientific name. This name generator will generate 10 random latin names.

Firstly, thanks to the catholic church every educated person knew. I enjoy the latin names because they give information on the history of the plants. More than just a dictionary of plant names, this fascinating book explains the meaning of hundreds of latin plant terms, grouped into handily themed sections such as plants that are named after famous women, plants that are named after the shape of their leaves, plants that are named after their fragrance or the time of year that they flower. Latin names, the correct botanical naming of plants, are based on a particular plants kinship with other similar or not so similar plants. Some people think using them looks flash, marking you out as a knowall. Writing the scientific names of species sometimes also called latin names, is not that complicated. For example angustifolia means narrowleaved, spinosa means spiny, and ochroleuca means cream. The latin name for a plant is basically a persons full name i. Shamrocks refers more to an idea than to a specific plant.

As the detractors point out, you call your friends fred or jim, and not. List of herbs scientificcommon names natural health. The pronunciation, derivation, and meaning of botanical names and their common name equivalents by allen j. As you read plant catalogs and garden books, youll notice several. Over 3000 plant names explained and explored, lorraine harrison is published by university of chicago press. Plants have latin names because latin was the international language of science when systems for naming plants were first formalised. Using latin plant names helps to avert confusion caused by the often contradictory and multiple common names an individual may have. I have several books dedicated to latin plant names but none fall into the category of lorraine harrisons book which is not only informative but entertaining and. The herbal database a listing of herbs, spices, and. It covers the naming of wild plants, plants modified by humans, why plant names change, their pronunciation and hints to help remember them. Since latin became the standard language for plant naming in th. Mozaffarian and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.

Common names are often provincial, can describe an aspect of the plant, and can sometimes be hilarious. Caring, propagation, descriptions and other information for each species is provided. Examples of common names include eucalyptus, orange, chamomile and bay. Memorization skills learning the plant names successfully. Jan 01, 2012 this book is a great starting point for beginning to learn the meaning of some common latin botanical names. The plant list provides the accepted latin name for most species, with links to all synonyms by which that species has been known. Latin plant names why do we use latin names for plants. Feb 22, 2015 latin plant names come in for dreadful earbashing. Title 190 national plant materials manual 190vnpmm, fourth edition, july 2010 1 part 542 acronyms 542. Plants can have multiple common names, and a case of mistaken identity may lead to incorrect advice and unwanted purchases. Latin words for the genus or species of a plant are descriptive terms used to describe a specific type of plant and its characteristics. Think about it like learning the name of a new friend. As someone brought up in a country where the botanical names of plants are always listed alongside their common names, even in childrens reference books, it came as a big surprise to me when i got on the internet to find gardeners in the us using common names for the plants in their gardens. The genus is kind of like our family name and the species the given name.

A list of code names for all known plants a list of international symbols for various plants a book of rules, written in several languages, for naming and classifying plants a book written in latin that gives the meaning of plant names a detailed list of plant importation requirements for the countries of the world. The binomial system of nomenclature is structured so that the scientific name of a plant consists of two names. The species included are grouped into 16167 genera, 620 families and 4 major groups. However, as a book allowing a learner to focus on how latin is used to name and describe plants, this book is a treasure. The fact is, wort comes from the old english word for plant and is used as a suffix for some of our oldest common plant names especially the names for plants with medicinal uses. This is a list of plants organized by their common names. If you have ever been chastised for garbling a plant s scientific name i certainly have. Types include foliage, flowering, succulents and cacti. First published in 1931 by renowned horticulturalist arthur johnson, plant names simplified has become an established classic. The plant list all families the plant list contains a working list of plants of the world. So, the plant commonly called red maple, is maple, red in latin acer rubrum. You can gradually learn botanical names by reading them in plant books or seed catalogs, where the latin name and common name are side by side. Common names, scientific names, latin, synonyms, etc.

How to learn botanical latin plant names and remember them. The name is always in latin and is comprised of a combination of two terms, the genus name, and the. One of the students showed me a beautifully bound rhs book hed bought called latin for gardeners which gives some history and origins of the latin or greek plant names. This will help you identify the plants once youve learnt their name. Plant names is a plain english guide to the use of plant names and the conventions for writing them as governed by the international code of botanical nomenclature and the international code of nomenclature for cultivated plants. Try to interchange one for the other at times, especially at nurseries or in public gardens where the plants are labeled. The first section gives an historical account of the significant changes in the ways that plants have been known and named. Even today latin is still important for the creation of new words, usually those related to science. As is the case with each of these examples, however, different plants can sometimes share the same common name. Welcome to the international plant names index ipni produced by a collaboration between the royal botanic gardens, kew, the harvard university herbaria, and the australian national herbarium, hosted by the royal botanic gardens, kew. Learning latin latin is the international language used by scientists all over the world to name plants and animals. Pronouncing botanical latin the arboretum foundation. Botanical latin is essentially a written language, but the scientific names of plants often occur in speech. This systematic approach to naming plants and animals is still the universallyrecognized system used today.

Guide to botanical plant names a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but it sure could lead to confusion. However, the common names of plants often vary from region to region, which is why most plant encyclopedias refer to plants using their scientific names, in other words using binomials or latin names. Scientific plant names landscape plants oregon state. Field 3, scientific latin binomial name, including commonly used synonyms in parentheses when positively outdated, and closely related species within the genus. Latin was the language spoken in ancient rome and many parts of the roman empire. The importance of using botanical names with essential oils. Index of medicinal herbs arranged alphabetically by their scientific names latin names. Botanical latin makes considerable use of loanwords from greek.

In his book, botanical latin, william stearn, stated the following. As an ancient italic language, spoken by italic latins, and official language of ancient rome, it went through several stages. A list of code names for all known plantsa list of international symbols for various plantsa book of rules, written in several languages, for naming and classifying plantsa book written in latin that gives the meaning of plant namesa detailed list of plant importation requirements for the countries of the world. Tpl has been static since 20, but was used as the starting point for the taxonomic backbone of the world flora online wfo, and updated information can be found at. Rhs guidance on plant names for artists this references the new exhibitor factsheet for all rhs. His latin names for plants often include an adjective that describes some. Around 20% of names are unresolved indicating that the data sources included provided no evidence or view as to whether the name should be treated as accepted or not, or there were conflicting opinions that could. The names of plants is a handy twopart reference for the botanist and amateur gardener. Presented in a glossary format, this pocketsized reference book gives the name, pronunciation and classification of common plants and the meaning behind the latin origins of the name. Binomial nomenclature twoterm naming system, also called binominal nomenclature two name naming system or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages.

They keyed out the plant and gave me the latin name for it. Oct 01, 2012 rhs latin for gardeners is an informative, entertaining and beautifully illustrated unravelling of the mysteries of botanical latin. First, the book only includes species names so at best you will only have half the epithet of any particular binomial. In binomial latin, the genus is a noun and the species is a descriptive. Latin botanical names are necessary, because common names for plants vary from region to region and even from town to town.

The plants database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the u. Learning plants latin names helps gardeners make informed. Because latin was the international language for communicating philosophical works from the end of the roman empire until the rise of the british empire. Divide the plants on this weeks plant list into 4 groups. It documents the problems associated with an everincreasing number of common names of plants, and the resolution of these problems through the introduction of international codes. On the class canvas site report on your approaches in the memory strategies discussion forum.

Its important to be exact when using plants in the kitchen and knowing the meanings of the descriptive latin binomial names is helpful for both herbalist and naturalist. The herbs have also been arranged alphabetically by their common english names. With frequent use and repetition, the names do eventually sink in. In fact, at the heart of this way of assigning scientific names to plants is a simple twoword formula, whereby the first word is the genus name and the second one the. Over 3,000 latin names are listed alphabetically, showing how plant names can reveal where a plant originally comes from and thus its preferred growing conditions, along with such properties as its shape, form, colour, taste, and smell.

Alan titchmarshs guide to latin names of our favourite. If this article has piqued your interest in latin plant names, try these books. The naming of plants happens in various ways common names of plants evolve from country folks fanciful descriptions of their perceived uses, or appearance. One plant may live under several different common names. Use the internet to research memorization skills and strategies.

Each indoor plant is given its main common name used and botanicalscientific name. Binomial nomenclature twoterm naming system, also called binominal nomenclature twoname naming system or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages. The illustration above summaries things with an easy example. Over 3000 plant names explained and explored pdf for free, preface.