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Plant Names - page 34 |
SPECIFIC PLANT NAMES
(Species: both singular and plural)
A plant species is a category within and below a genus, and its members not only contain one or more common characteristics but may also reproduce themselves from seeds and may be inter-bred. A species lies between a genus and a variety.
The specific name of a plant, denoting its species (pronounced spee-sheez) within a given genus, serves a plant much as a given name serves a person, while the plant's generic name (see page 3) is comparable to the surname of a person.
In the following pages are given, in alphabetical order, the accepted spelling for each of some 2,400 species (bold face type); the phonetic spelling (ordinary type) with the stressed portion of the word in italics; the significant translation or meaning if available and of practical use.
The endings of most specific names may be varied according to the gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter) of whatever generic name they may accompany. Thus specific names ending in -us may also terminate with -a or -um (as albus, alba, album). Those ending in -is may also end in -e (gracilis, gracile). Certain -er endings may be replaced by -ra or -rum (niger, nigra, nigrum). In this list, masculine endings are given, where there is any choice.
Not included are specific names derived from proper names, as, for example, Wilsoni (or Wilsonii), Browni (or Brownii). Almost all such names end in -i (or -ii) and have little descriptive significance. (Variety names, which, as such, further modify horticultural species, are too many, too variable, and too confused for inclusion in this book.)
The phonetic spellings here given break the names into separate parts according to sound. When pronounced in normal speech, the resulting combination of sounds should add up to an accurate pronunciation of the whole word.
| A |
abbreviates - ab-ree-vee-ay-tus: ab-
breviated, shortened.
abortivus-ab-or-tye-vus: aborted.
abruptus - ab-rup-tus: abrupt, sud-
denly changing.
acanthocomus - ak-anth-oh-koh-mus:
with spine-like hairs.
acaulis-ak-kaw-liss: stemless.
acephalus-ass-.sef-al-us: headless.
acerbus - ass-serb-us: harsh, sour tast-
ing.
acerifolius-ay-ser-if-foh-lee-us: maple-
leaved.
aceroides-Ay-ser-roy-deez: maple-like.
acerosus - ass-er-ro/i-sus: needle-
shaped.
acicularis - ass-ik-yew-/ay-riss: needle-
like.
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acidissimus - ass-id-diss-im-us: very
sour.
acidosus-ass-id-doh-sus: acid, bitter.
acidus-arc-id-us: acid, sour. acinacif
olius - ass-in-ay-sif-foh-lee-us:
with saber-shaped leaves.
aconitifolius - ak-oh-nye-tif-foh-lee-us:
with leaves similar to monkshood
(aconitum).
acris-ay-kriss: acrid; sharp.
aculeatus-ak-yew-lee-ay-tus: prickly.
acuminatifolius - ak-yew-min-ay-tif-
foh-lee-us: with narrowing, pointed
leaves.
acuminatus-ak-yew-min-nay-tus: long-
pointed, tapering. acutangulus - ak -
yew - tan - gew - lus:
sharply angled.
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