Common Specific Epithets
Carl Linnaeus published his Species Plantarum in 1753, which documented the scientific names of plants, including epithets (or names) for their species and genus. This tome has been expanded on and tweaked over the years in many other publications, though the epithets (usually based in either Latin or Greek) have generally remained the same. Have you ever wondered what those funny-sounding names used to describe plant life mean? Read on and discover.
acaulis: apparently stemless
acraeus: high-dwelling
aculeatus: stinging or sharp
aequalis: equal
affinis: related
alatus: winged
alba: white
albidus: off-white
amabilis: lovely
ambiguus: ambiguous
amplexicaulis: stem-embracing
amygdaloides: almond
anceps: two-headed, two-sided
apiculatus: pointed
aqua: water
arachnoides: spider, cobwebbed
arbor, arboreus, arborescens: tree-like
arenarius: sand-dwelling
arvensis: of plowed fields
atratus: blackened
aurantiacus: orange
aureus: golden
australis: southern
autumnalis: of autumn
axillaris: axillary
azureus: sky-blue
bi-: two
campanulate: bell-shaped
canadensis: from Canada
communis: common
concolor: of the same color
discolor: of another color
ebeneus: ebony black
ellipticus: oval
erythrinus: red
filiformis: thread-shaped
flavescens: yellowish
floridus: abounding in flowers
frutescens: becoming shrubby
funestrus: deadly
hispida: covered with coarse, erect hairs
inodoratus: without an odor
lanceolate: with a narrow elliptic or ovate, pointed shape
linearis: with a very narrow shape
luteus: yellow
lutescens: light yellow
luxurians: luxuriant
maculatus: spotted
magnus: great or big
major, majus: bigger
majalis: flowering in May
malacoides: soft
maritima, maritimus: maritime, by the sea
matronalis: matronly
minimus: smallest
minor: smaller
mirabilis: amazing
mollis: soft
monticola: mountain
multi-: many-
mutabilis: mutable
nanus, nana: dwarf
nigra, niger: black
nigricans: blackish
nivalis: snow
nobilis: celebrated
non-scripta, non-scriptus: unmarked
nupans: nodding
obovatus: egg-shaped
occidentalis: western
odoratus: fragrant
officinalis: medicinal
orbiculatus: circular
orientalis: eastern
osmanthus: fragrant-flowered
ovatus: ovate (oval, but widest below the middle)
pallens: pale
palustris: marsh
papilio: butterfly
patens: spreading out
pauciflora, pauciflorus: sparse-flowered
pectinatus: comb-like
peltata, peltatus: shield
pendula, pendulus: hanging
peninsularis: peninsula
perennis: year-long; perennial
perulatus: having leaves covering flower buds
petiolaris: having petioles
pilularis: with globular fruit
pinnatus: feathery
plumosus: plumed
pluvialis: rainy-day
poeticus: of poets
potatorum: of drinkers
praecox: early-ripening
praestans: pre-eminent
pratensis: meadow
procumbens: near the ground
procurrens: extending
prolifer: proliferous; with offshoots
prostratus: on the ground
psilostemon: smooth-stamened
pubescens: fuzzy
pulchellus: beautiful
punctatus: dotted
pungens: pricking
purpureus: purplish
purpurescens: light purple
pusillus: tiny
pyramidalis: pyramidal
racemosus: clustered
radicans: rooting, putting out aerial roots
rectus: erect
redivivus: reviving
repens, reptans: creeping
retrofractus: twisted back
retusus: blunt
rex: king
rigens: rigid
rivularis: brook
robustus: strong, solid
rubra, ruber: red
rudis: untilled, rough
rufus: reddish
rupestris, rupicola: rock or cliff
sagittalis: arrow
sanguinia: blood
saxatilis: rock-dwelling
scandens: climbing
scoparius: broom
scopulorum: cliff
scorpioides: scorpion
semperflorens: ever-blooming
sempervirens: evergreen
sericeus: silky
serpens: creeping
setaceus: bristly
simplex: simple; unbranched
sinuatus: sinuous
speciosus: showy
spectabilis: remarkable
spinosus: spiny
spiralis: coiled or twisted
splendens: splendid
stenocarpus: narrow-fruited
suaveolens: sweet-scented
succulentus: fleshy
suffrutescens: partly shrubby
sulphureus: sulphur-yellow
sylvester, sylvestris: woodland
tenuis: thin
terminalis: at the end
terrestris: ground-dwelling
tessellatus: cubed
thyrsiflorus: stalk- or vine-flowered
tomentosa, tomentosus: thickly, evenly covered with short, curled, matted hairs
triandrus: three-anthered
triangularis: triangular
tricolor: three-colored
trimestris: with three nerves
tristis: sad, dull
umbellatus: umbelled
utilis: useful
variabilis: variable
variegatus, variegata: variegated
vernus: of spring
versicolor: variably colored
vigilis: vigilant
villosus: hairy
violaceus: violet-colored
virens: green
viridis: fresh-green
volubilis: circling around
vulgaris: common
zebrina, zebrinus: zebra-striped
zonatus: banded
acraeus: high-dwelling
aculeatus: stinging or sharp
aequalis: equal
affinis: related
alatus: winged
alba: white
albidus: off-white
amabilis: lovely
ambiguus: ambiguous
amplexicaulis: stem-embracing
amygdaloides: almond
anceps: two-headed, two-sided
apiculatus: pointed
aqua: water
arachnoides: spider, cobwebbed
arbor, arboreus, arborescens: tree-like
arenarius: sand-dwelling
arvensis: of plowed fields
atratus: blackened
aurantiacus: orange
aureus: golden
australis: southern
autumnalis: of autumn
axillaris: axillary
azureus: sky-blue
bi-: two
campanulate: bell-shaped
canadensis: from Canada
communis: common
concolor: of the same color
discolor: of another color
ebeneus: ebony black
ellipticus: oval
erythrinus: red
filiformis: thread-shaped
flavescens: yellowish
floridus: abounding in flowers
frutescens: becoming shrubby
funestrus: deadly
hispida: covered with coarse, erect hairs
inodoratus: without an odor
lanceolate: with a narrow elliptic or ovate, pointed shape
linearis: with a very narrow shape
luteus: yellow
lutescens: light yellow
luxurians: luxuriant
maculatus: spotted
magnus: great or big
major, majus: bigger
majalis: flowering in May
malacoides: soft
maritima, maritimus: maritime, by the sea
matronalis: matronly
minimus: smallest
minor: smaller
mirabilis: amazing
mollis: soft
monticola: mountain
multi-: many-
mutabilis: mutable
nanus, nana: dwarf
nigra, niger: black
nigricans: blackish
nivalis: snow
nobilis: celebrated
non-scripta, non-scriptus: unmarked
nupans: nodding
obovatus: egg-shaped
occidentalis: western
odoratus: fragrant
officinalis: medicinal
orbiculatus: circular
orientalis: eastern
osmanthus: fragrant-flowered
ovatus: ovate (oval, but widest below the middle)
pallens: pale
palustris: marsh
papilio: butterfly
patens: spreading out
pauciflora, pauciflorus: sparse-flowered
pectinatus: comb-like
peltata, peltatus: shield
pendula, pendulus: hanging
peninsularis: peninsula
perennis: year-long; perennial
perulatus: having leaves covering flower buds
petiolaris: having petioles
pilularis: with globular fruit
pinnatus: feathery
plumosus: plumed
pluvialis: rainy-day
poeticus: of poets
potatorum: of drinkers
praecox: early-ripening
praestans: pre-eminent
pratensis: meadow
procumbens: near the ground
procurrens: extending
prolifer: proliferous; with offshoots
prostratus: on the ground
psilostemon: smooth-stamened
pubescens: fuzzy
pulchellus: beautiful
punctatus: dotted
pungens: pricking
purpureus: purplish
purpurescens: light purple
pusillus: tiny
pyramidalis: pyramidal
racemosus: clustered
radicans: rooting, putting out aerial roots
rectus: erect
redivivus: reviving
repens, reptans: creeping
retrofractus: twisted back
retusus: blunt
rex: king
rigens: rigid
rivularis: brook
robustus: strong, solid
rubra, ruber: red
rudis: untilled, rough
rufus: reddish
rupestris, rupicola: rock or cliff
sagittalis: arrow
sanguinia: blood
saxatilis: rock-dwelling
scandens: climbing
scoparius: broom
scopulorum: cliff
scorpioides: scorpion
semperflorens: ever-blooming
sempervirens: evergreen
sericeus: silky
serpens: creeping
setaceus: bristly
simplex: simple; unbranched
sinuatus: sinuous
speciosus: showy
spectabilis: remarkable
spinosus: spiny
spiralis: coiled or twisted
splendens: splendid
stenocarpus: narrow-fruited
suaveolens: sweet-scented
succulentus: fleshy
suffrutescens: partly shrubby
sulphureus: sulphur-yellow
sylvester, sylvestris: woodland
tenuis: thin
terminalis: at the end
terrestris: ground-dwelling
tessellatus: cubed
thyrsiflorus: stalk- or vine-flowered
tomentosa, tomentosus: thickly, evenly covered with short, curled, matted hairs
triandrus: three-anthered
triangularis: triangular
tricolor: three-colored
trimestris: with three nerves
tristis: sad, dull
umbellatus: umbelled
utilis: useful
variabilis: variable
variegatus, variegata: variegated
vernus: of spring
versicolor: variably colored
vigilis: vigilant
villosus: hairy
violaceus: violet-colored
virens: green
viridis: fresh-green
volubilis: circling around
vulgaris: common
zebrina, zebrinus: zebra-striped
zonatus: banded