Topic: Latin Plant names

[springbok]

Does anyone know where I can find a book or a online database of latin plant names.
I want to understand them, ie:  species, and then their explanations like why its that species, and what the 2nd part means too.

Can anyone help? 

[Baccy Man]

To het you started there is a bit written here: http://www.theseedsite.co.uk/latin.html

There is a pdf file explaining why latin is used here: http://www.kew.org/ksheets/pdfs/b2names.pdf

There is a flash game here which teaches you a little about latin plant names: http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/htbg/module2/plant_names4.shtml

[Baaaaaaaa]

I presume your not looking for a list of names that appears in the index section of good plant books, but want something more detailed.

I use a book called "Name that Plant" 1903025109 paperback, 256 pages. Available on Amazon for about £3 inc p/p second hand, £7+p/p new.

Alternatively, but similar is "Hamlyn A-Z of Plant Names" by Allen Coombes. 1851525335, 210 pages.

It lists all plants by latin, shows how to pronounce them, idenitfies their family,and tells you the origin of their name.

For example

Galanthus, ga-lanth-us
Amaryllidaceae. From Greek, gala (milk) and anthos (flower), after the colour of the flower.
Bulbous herb, Snowdrop.
  - allenii, a-len-ee-ee. After James Allen
  - alpinus, al-pie-nus. Alpine.
  - byzantinus, bi-zan-teen-us. Of Byzantium (Istanbul).
  - caucasicus, kaw-ka-si-cus. Of the Caucasus
  - elwesii, el-wez-ee-ee. After H.J. Elwes
...
  - nivalis, ni-va-lis, Of the snow. Common Snowdrop.
...

Is that the kind of thing your after ? Its very dry reading - bit like reading the telephone directory.
But its good if you have to do plant ident exams, which is why I got it.

[springbok]

thank you both so much.   Yes its for my course, I have to learn latin names.  Didnt want to just learn them parrot fashion, wanted to understand why they were called that.... thank you both for the advice on this one :)

[Kea]

Don't worry it well become second nature and quite often helps describe the plant. You'll soon know that if a plant is 'something repens' that it has a creeping habit and spreads e.g Couch and white clover!; alba means some part of it is white.

Good luck!
 

[Mr Smith]

I remember being at school and having to learn the mass in Latin and in my case it was parrot fashion :)

[betula]

I am doing the city and Guilds  National certificate in Horticulture and the book
I use is Hillier plant names explained.Botanical terms and their meaning.

The awful thing is that in test situation you not only have to Identify the plant you have to spell it correctly or lose marks ,pay attention to use of capital letters.

[jennym]

When I did a hort course, one of the tutors went barmy if we called them "Latin" names - botanical names or scientific names he was happy with but Latin would really upset him  ;D.
We had to learn 25 new ones each week - the plants would be laid out on a bench for a week along with their names, and first thing Weds morning the labels would be removed and we'd have to write the list out from memory. Some seemed to come easily but do have memories of lists of names stuck to dashboard of the car and me chanting them over and over in the traffic. Then once every 6 weeks, we'd have a more formal test where a selection of plants from the last 6 weeks would be chosen and we'd have to write those down - groan! But it was worthwhile, honestly. Gives you a good grounding for whatever you want to learn about in horticulture.

[star]

Gives you a good grounding for whatever you want to learn about in horticulture.

It really does, but keep it up. I was a grade A student in 1989. Due to kids, marriage breakdown, moving house and bereavements through those last years I have forgotten such a lot. It seems like my college years were wasted.

I dont regret a single moment though and I still love plants and growing. Most of my growing is done permaculturally nowadays :D

[caroline7758]

I had to do the same as jennym on the course I did  few years ago. I was pretty good at the time,but now I find I can either recognse a plant but can't remember what it's called, or I can remember a name but can't remember what on earth the plant looks like!

[betula]

Gives you a good grounding for whatever you want to learn about in horticulture.

It really does, but keep it up. I was a grade A student in 1989. Due to kids, marriage breakdown, moving house and bereavements through those last years I have forgotten such a lot. It seems like my college years were wasted.

I don't regret a single moment though and I still love plants and growing. Most of my growing is done permaculturally nowadays :D

Oh Star I am sure your college years were not wasted.

It is still in there waiting to come out LOL