Latin Translations

From the Textbook of Dendrology. Knowing what the Latin means can help you understand and retain the scientific names of these plants.

In taxonomy, the first letter of the Genus is always Capitalized, and the first letter of the species is always lower case. Which you will notice in this list of terms. The capitalized words are indicative of a genus, while the lower case words are indicative of a species names. For instance, Acer saccharum (sugar maple) and proper names or places are always capitalized when writing the common name, e.g. Picea sitchensis (Sitka spruce) named for the Sitka island in Alaska.

Additionally, another taxonomic style is to italicize the scientific name when it is spelled out.

A

Abies - Tall tree

Acer - Sharp

acerfolia - Leaves like those of maple

acuminata - Acuminate, long-pointed

acustissima - Acutely pointed

Aesculus - Ancient Latin name for "an oak with edible acorns"

Agave - Noble or admired one

agrifolia - Field leaf

Ailanthus - Reaching to heaven

alata - Winged

alba - White

albicaulis - White-barked

Albizia - For F. del Albizzi, Italian who introduced the genus to Europe

Aluerites - Mealy surface

alleghaniensis - From the Alleghany mountains

alnifolia - Leaves like those of alder

Alnus - Ancient Latin name for "alder"

alternifolia - Alternate-leaved

altissima - Tall

amabilis - Pleasing or lovely

Amelanchier - French name for "serviceberry"

americana - From America

angustifolia - Narrow leaf

anomala - Unlike others

aquatica - Growing in water

Aralia - From French-Canadian name aralie, for "aralias"

arboretum - Treelike

Arbutus - Ancient Latin name for "European madrone"

aristata - Awned, sharp pointed

arizonica - From Arizona

aromatica - Aromatic

ashei - For W. W. Ashe, pioneer forester of USDA Forest Service

Asimina - From American Indian name

attenuata - Tapering

australis - Southern

azederach - Perisan for "noble tree"

B

balfouriana - For J. H. Balfour, Scottish botanist

balsamea - Balsam-like

balsamifera - Yielding a fragrant resin (balsam)

banksiana - For Joseph Banks, British botanist and Director of Kew Gardens

barbatum - Bearded

Betula - Shining (bark)

bicolor - Two-colored

biflora - Two-flowered

bifolia - Two-leaved

bignonioides - Like Bignonia

biloba - Two-lobed

borbonia - For Gaston Bourbon, French patron of botany

borealis - Northern

bracteata - With bracts

brevifolia - Short-leaved

Bumelia - Ancient Greek name for "European ash"

C

californica - From California

calleryana - After J. Callery, French missionary

Calocedrus - Beautiful cedar

canadensis - From Canada

Carnegiea - For Andrew Carnegie, philanthropist

carolinae-septentrionalis - From North Carolina

carolinana - From the Carolinas

Carpinus - Latin name for "hornbeam" or Celtic for "a yoke made of this wood"

Carya - Greek for "nut" or "kernel"

Castanea - Ancient Latin name from Castania, Greece, known for its trees

Castanopsis - Chestnutlike

Casuarina - Malay word describing twigs

Catalpa - Cherokee Indian name

cathartica - Purgative

Cedrus - From the River Cedron in Palestine where cedars grew

Celtis - Ancient Greek name of a tree

cembroides - Like Pinus cembra

Ceridium - Latin for a "weaver's comb resembling the pod"

Cercis - Aancient Greek name for kerkis, a weaver’s shuttle appearing like the fruit

Cereus - Wax candle

cerifera - Wax-bearing

Chamaecyparis - Low-growing cypress

chinensis - From China

Chrysolepis - Golden-scaled

chrysophylla - Golden-leaved

cinerea - Ash gray

Cladrastis - Brittle shoots

clausa - Closed, serotinous

clava-hercules - Hercules' club

coccinea - Scarlet

communis - Common

comutata - Changeable

concolor - One color

contorta - Twisted

copallina - Yielding copal gum

cordifolia - Heart-shaped leaves

cordiformis - Heart-shaped

Cornus - Ancient Latin name for "cornelian cherry"

cornuta - Horn-shaped

Corylus - Ancient Latin name for "hazelnut"

coulteri - For Thomas Coulter, Irish botanist who collected in California and Mexico

crassifolia - Thick-leaved

Crataegus - Greek kratos meaning "strength" referring to the hard wood

Cudrania - From a Malayan name, Cudrang

Cupressus - The classical Greek and Latin name of the Italian cypress

Cycas - The classical Greek name for "a palm resembling the cycad habit"

D

decidua - Deciduous

decurrens - Decurrent leaf bases

deltoides - Delta-like, triangular-shaped

densiflorus - Crowded flowers

dentata - Dentate, toothed

deppeana - For Ferdinand Deppe, a German botanist

dioicus - Dioecious

Diospyros - Divine fruit

distichum - Two-ranked

diversilobum - Variable lobing

douglasii - For David Douglas, Scottish botanist and traveler in North America

drummondii - For Thomas Drummond, Scottish botanist and explorer

dunnii - For G. W. Dunn, collector in California and Mexico

E

echinata - Prickly

edulis - Edible

Elaeagnus - Ancient Greek name applied to a willow

elliottii - For Stephen Elliott, botanist

ellipsoidalis - Ellipsoidal in shape

emoryi - For W. H. Emory, southwest collector

engelmannii - For George Engelmann, physician and botanist in St. Louis and an authority on conifers

equisetifolia - Horsetail-like "leaves"

excelsior - Lofty, higher

F

Fagus - Ancient Latin name for "beech"

falcata - Sickle-shaped

Ficus - Ancient Latin name for "fig"

filifera - Beating threads

flava - Yellowish

flexilis - Flexible

florida - Flowering

floridana - From Florida

fragilis - Fragile

frangula - Fragile or brittle twig

fraseri - For John Fraser, Scottish collector who traveled in North America

Fraxinus - Ancient Latin name for "ash"

fremontii - For J. C. Fremont, explorer of western United States

G

gale - Old English name for "bog turtle"

gambelii - For William Gambel, American naturalist

garryana - For Nicholas Garry, explorer in the Northwest

geminata - Twinned

giganteus - Gigantic

Ginkgo - From a Japanese name (gin-kyo)

glabra - Glabrous

glandulosa - Glandular

glauca - Glaucous

Gleditsia - For J. G. Gleditsch, German botanist and Director of Berlin Botanical Garden

Gordonia - For James Gordon, British nurseryman

grandidentata - Large-toothed

grandiflora - Showy-flowered

grandifolia - Large-leaved

grandis - Large

Gymnocladus - Bare-branched

H

Halesia - For Stephen Hales, British botanical writer

Hamamelis - Ancient Greek name for "another tree with pear-shaped fruit"

hemisphaerica - Hemispherical

heterophylla - Diversely leaved

I

Ilex - Ancient Latin name for "an oak with prickly leaves"

illinoinensis - From Illinois

imbricata - Overlapping

incana - Gray color

J

japonica - From Japan

jeffreyi - For John Jeffrey, Scottish plant explorer

Juglans - Jupiter's nut

julibrissin - Native Iranian name

Juniperus - Ancient Latin name for "juniper"

K

Kalmia - For Peter Kalm, a student of Linneaus who found the laurel in America

kelloggii - For Albert Kellogg, botanist

kentukea - From Kentucky

L

laciniosa - Shaggy

laevigata, laevis - Polished, smooth

lambertiana - For A. B. Lambert, English botanist and author of a classic work on pines

lanuginosa - Softly hairy

laricina - Like European larch

Larix - Ancient Latin name for "larch"

lasianthus - Hairy-flowered

lasiocarpa - Hairy-fruited

latifolia - Broad-leaved

laurifolia - Laurel-leaved

lawsoniana - For Peter Lawson, nurseryman of Edinburgh

leiophylla - Smooth-leaved

Leitneria - For E. F. Leitner, German naturalist

lenta - Pliable

Libocedrus - Resinous cedar

Liquidambar - Liquid amber (resin)

Liriodendron - Lily tree

Lithocarpus - Stony seed

lobata - Lobed

lutea - Yellow

lyallii - For David Lyall, Scottish naturalist

lyrata - Lyre-shaped

M

Maclura - For William Maclure, American geologist

macrocarpa - Large-fruited

macrophyllum- Large-leaved

magnifica - Magnificent

Magnolia - For Pierre Magnol, French botanist

Malus - Ancient Latin name for "apple"

margaretta - For Margaret H. Wilcox, Mrs. W. W. Ash

mariana, marilandica - From Maryland (although black spruce, Picea mariana, does not grow in Maryland, it was used here i the broad sense to mean northeastern North America)

maximum - Largest

Melia - From Greek name for "ash"

menziesii - For Archibald Menzies, Scottish naturalist

mertensiana - For Karl H. Mertens, German botanist

Metasequoia - Close (i.e. similar) to Sequoia

michauxii - For F. A. Michaux, French botanist who wrote a classic work on the trees of eastern United States and Canada

microphylla - Small-leaved

monophylla - One-leaved

montana - Mountain

monticola - Mountain dwelling

Morus - Ancient Latin name for "mulberry"

muehlenbergii - For G. H. E. Muhlenberg, botanist of Pennsylvania

muricata - Rough with hard, sharp points

Myrica - Fragrant

myristiciformis - Shape of Myristica (nutmeg)

myrsinifolia - Myrsine- or myrtle-leaved

N

neomexicana - From New Mexico

negundo - Ancient Malayan common name for a tree with similar leaves

nigra - Black

nootkatensis - From Nootka Sound, B. C. Canada

nutallii - For Thomas Nuttall, British-American botanist

Nyssa - Water nymph

O

oblongifolia - Oblong-leaved

occidentalis - Western

octandra - Eight-stamened

odorata - Fragrant

omorika - Serbian name for the "Serbian spruce"

opaca - Opaque, not glossy

orientalis - Oriental

Osmanthus - Fragrant flower

osteosperma - Bonelike seed or fruit wall

Ostrya - Ancient Greek name meaning "shell" for the nut covering

ovalis, ovata - Ovate-shaped

Oxtdendrum - Sour tree

P

pagoda - Pagoda-shaped

pallida - Pale

palmetta - From Spanish common name, palmito

palustris - Swampy land

papyrifera - Paper-bearing

parryi - For C. C. Parry, botanist and explorer

parviflora - Small flowered

Paulownia - For Anna Paulowna, daughter of Czar Paul I of Russia

pensylvanica, pennsylvanica - From Pennsylvania

Persea - Ancient Greek name for an unidentified Egyptian tree

persica - Persian

phanerolepis - Conspicuous-scaled

phellos - Corky

Picea - Pitch (resin)

Pinus - Ancient Latin name for "pine"

Platanus - Ancient Latin name for "plane tree"

plicata - Folded

pomifera - Apple-bearing

ponderosa - Heavy, large

populifolia - Poplar-leaved

Populus - Ancient Latin name for "poplar"

prinus - Ancient Greek name for "an oak"

procera - Very tall

profunda - Deep (swamp)

Prunus - Latin for plum

pseudotsuga - False hemlock

Ptelea - Ancient Greek name for "an elm with similar winged fruit"

pubescens - Pubescent

pumila - Dwarf

pungens - Pungent, prickly

purshiana- For F. Pursh, German botanist who collected in North America

perymidata - Pyramid-like

Pyrus - Ancient Latin name for "pear"

Q

quadrangulata - Four-angled

quadrifolia - Four-leaved

Quercus - Ancient Latin name for "oak"

R

racemosa - In a raceme

radiata - Radiating outward

radicans - With rooting stems

regia - Royal

resinosa - Resinous

Rhamnus - Ancient Greek name for "spiny shrubs"

Rhodedendron - Rose tree

rhombifolia - Diamond-shaped leaves

Rhus - Ancient Greek name for "sumac"

rigida - Rigid, stiff

Robinia - For Jean Robin, French herbalist

robur - Strong, hard; Latin name for "oak"

rubens - Blushed with red

rubra - Red

S

Sabal - American Indian name

sabiniana - For Joseph Sabine, naturalist

saccharinum, saccharum - Sugary

Salix - Ancient Latin name for "willow"

Sapindus - Indian soap

Sapium - Latin for "a resinous tree"

Sassafras - American Indian name

scopulorum - Of cliffs or rocks

sebiferum - Producing wax

sempervirens - Always living

Sequoia - For Cherokee Indian, Sequoyah, who developed the Cherokee alphabet

Sequoiadendron - Sequoia tree

serotina - Of late season

serrata - Serrate, toothed

serrulata - Serrulate, small teeth

shumardii - For B. F. Shumard, state geologist of Texas

silicicola - Growing in sand

sitchensis - From Sitka Island, Alaska

Sorbus - Ancient Latin name for "mountain-ask of Europe"

speciosa - Showy

spicatum - Spike-like

spinosa - Spiny, prickly

stellata - Star-like (hairs)

strobiformis - Like Pinus strobus

strobus - Ancient Latin name for "gum-yielding tree"

styraciflua - Resin (styrax)-flowing

sylvatica, sylvestris - Of the forest

Symplocos - Connected (stamens)

T

taeda - Torch of resinous pine wood

Tamarix - Ancient Latin name possibly referring to the Tamaris River in Spain

taxifolia - Taxus (yew)-like leaves

Taxodium - Yew-like

Taxus - Ancient Latin name for "yew"

tetraptera - Four-winged

texana, texensis - From Texas

thomasii - For David Thomas, American horticulturist

Thuja - Ancient Greek name; resinous

thunbergiana - For K. P. Thunberh, Dutch physician, botanist, and student of Linneaus, who introduced many Japanese plants to Europe

thyoides - Thuja-like

Tilia - Ancient Latin name for "basswood"; wing

tinctoria - Used for dyeing

tomentosa - Tomentose, densely hairy

torreyana - For John Torrey, American botanist of Columbia University

Toxicodendron - Poison tree

tremuloides - Aspen-like, trembling

triacanthos - Three-thorned

trichocarpa - Hairy-fruited

tricuspidata - Three-toothed

trifoliata - Three-leaflet

triloba - Three-lobed

tripetala - Three-petalled

Tsuga - Japanese name for "hemlock"

tulipifera - Tulip-bearing

typhina - Cattail-like

U

Ulmus - Ancient Latin name for "elm"

umbellata - Umbel-form

Umbellularia - Little-umbelled

unedo - Latin name for "arbutus tree"

V

velutina - Velvety

vernix - Varnish

virginiana - From Virginia

W

Washingtonia - For President George Washington

wislizeni - For F. A. Wislisenus, German physician of St. Louis who collected in southwestern United States of northern Mexico

wrightii - For Charles Wright, American collector in southwestern United States

Y

Yucca -Carib Indian name

Z

Zanthoxylum - Yellow wood