Property:Etymology

String

Usage2265

A

Abelmoschus +

Presumably Arabic habb-el-misk, musk seed, alluding to scented seeds +

Abies +

Latin name of a European fir +

Abietinella +

Latin abietis, of conifer genus Abies, and - ella, diminutive, alluding to habit aspect +

Abildgaardia +

for Peder Chritian Abildgaard, 1740–1801, Danish professor of verterinary medicine +

Abronia +

Greek abros, de licate or graceful +

Abutilon +

probably Arabic abu, father of, and Persian tula or tulha, mallow +

Acaena +

Greek akaina, thorn, alluding to barbed spines arising from wall of hypanthium +

Acalypha +

Greek akalephe, stinging nettle, from a-, without, kalos, good, and haphe, touch, alluding to some species resembling Urtica (though not stinging) +

Acamptopappus +

Greek akamptos, stiff or unbending, and pappus, alluding to thick pappus elements +

Acanthocereus +

Greek akantha, thorn, and Cereus, a genus of cacti +

Acanthoscyphus +

Greek acantha, thorn, and scyphos, cup, alluding to awn on involucre +

Acanthospermum +

Greek acantha, prickle, and sperma, seed, alluding to prickly “fruits” +

Acaulon +

Greek a-, without, and kaulos, stalk or stem, alluding to stemless habit +

Achillea +

for Greek god Achilles, who is supposed to have used the plants to treat his wounds +

Achlys +

Greek Achlus, a god of night +

Achyrachaena +

Greek achyron, scale, and Latin achaenium, fruit, alluding to cypselae +

Achyranthes +

Greek achyron, chaff, and anthos, flower +

Achyronychia +

Greek achuron, chaff, and onyx, onychos, nail or fingernail, alluding to the chaffy sepals +

Acleisanthes +

Greek a, without, cleis, thing that closes, and anthos, flower +, alluding to lack of involucre +

Acmella +

From a Singhalese name for a plant now known as Blainvillea acmella (Linnaeus) Philipson +

Acoelorraphe +

Greek a-, without, coelo, hollow, and raphe, in reference to shape of the seed +

Aconitum +

according to Pliny, the name "aconite" is taken from the ancient Black Sea port Aconis +

Aconogonon +

Greek acon, whetstone, and gone, seed, perhaps alluding to rough seeds +

Acorus +

Latin form of Greek akoron, presumably an ancient plant name +

Acourtia +

For Mrs. A’Court, a British amateur botanist +

Acrocomia +

Greek akron, summit, and kome, hairs of the head, in reference to the high crown of leaves +, akrokomos, with leaves at the top, said especially of palms +

Acroporium +

Greek akros, top, and poros, pore, possibly alluding to tubulose points of branches +

Acroptilon +

Greek akron, tip, and ptilon, feather, describing the pappus bristles +

Acrostichum +

Greek acros, at the end, tip, and stichos, row, referring to the distal spore-bearing pinnae +

Actaea +

Greek, aktea, ancient name for the elder, probably for leaf similarity +

Actinostachys +

Greek aktis, ray, and stachys, spike, referring to the rays of the fertile leaves +

Adelia +

Greek a-, not, and delos, evident, alluding to small, obscure flowers +

Adenocaulon +

Greek aden, gland, and kaulos, stem +

Adenophyllum +

Greek adeno, gland, and phyllon, leaf +

Adenostoma +

Greek a den, gland, and stoma, mouth, alluding to gland at rim of hypanthium +

Adiantum +

Greek adiantos, unwetted, for the glabrous leaves, which shed raindrops +

Adlumia +

For John Adlum, 1759-1836, a horticulturist born in York, Pa., died in Georgetown, D.C. +

Adolphia +

For Adolphe Brongniart, 1801–1876, French botanist and student of Rhamnaceae +

Adonis +

Greek mythology: sprouted from blood of Adonis, lover of Aphrodite, based on the blood red flowers +

Aeonium +

Dioscoridean name for A. arboreum +

Agalinis +

Greek aga-, very or much, and genus Linum, alluding to resemblance of stems and leaves +

Agarista +

Greek mythological daughter of Clisthenes, alluding to beauty of flowers +

Agave +

Greek agave, noble or admirable +

Agdestis +

A mythi-cal hermaphrodite monster, in reference to the original inclusion in Menispermaceae, where it was the only genus with bisexual flowers +

Ageratina +

Generic name Ageratum and Latin - ina, diminutive +

Ageratum +

Greek a, not, and geras, old age, apparently alluding to long-lasting nature of flowers +

Agnorhiza +

Possibly Greek agnostos, unknown, and rhiza, root, alluding to the initially unknown roots +, in protologue of basionym of type species, Greene stated, “Root unknown.” +

Agoseris +

Greek agos, leader, and seris, chicory +, allusion unclear +

Agrimonia +

Greek Argemone from argemos, cataract of eye, alluding to supposed curative properties of plant for eye disease +

Agrostemma +

Greek agros, field, and stemma, crown or wreath, alluding to the flowers’ use in garlands +

Akebia +

Japanese akebi, name for Akebia quinata +

Alcea +

Greek alkea, a kind of mallow +

Alchemilla +

Arabic name alkemelyeh, perhaps alluding to alchemists' interest in reputed marvelous powers of its dew +

Aletris +

Greek aletris, a female slave who ground corn, alluding to the mealy texture of the perianths +

Alisma +

ancient Greek name, adopted by Linnaeus from Dioscorides +

Allenrolfea +

for Robert Allen Rolfe, English botanist, 1855–1921 +

Alliaria +

Genus Allium, garlic or onion, and Latin –aria, connection, alluding to odor of crushed plant +

Allionia +

For C. Allioni, 1725–1804, Italian botanist +

Allium +

Latin, classical name for garlic +

Allotropa +

Greek allos, other or different, and tropos, turn or direction, alluding to inflorescence +

Allowissadula +

Greek allo- , different, and genus Wissadula +

Almutaster +

For Almut G. Jones, b. 1923, American Aster specialist +

Alnus +

Latin alnus, alder +

Aloe +

Arabic alloeh, a name for these or similar plants +

Aloina +

Genus Aloë and Latin -ina, resembling, alluding to fleshy leaves +

Alophia +

Greek a, not, and lophos, crest, referring to the absence of style crests +

Alpinia +

for Italian botanist Prosper Alpinus (1553–1617) +

Alsia +

Anagram of generic name Lasia (now Forsstroemia), alluding to similarity +

Alstroemeria +

for Clas Alströmer, 1736–1794, Swedish naturalist and pupil of Linnaeus +

Alternanthera +

Latin alternans, alternating, and anthera, anther, referring to the alternation of pseudostaminodes and stamens +

Althaea +

For Althaea, wife of King Oeneus of Aetolia or Calydon +

Alvaradoa +

For Pedro de Alvarado y Contreras, ca. 1485 – 1541, member of Cortez’s expedition to Mexico +

Alyssum +

Greek, a-, not or without, and lyssa, rabies or madness +, name used for plants reputed in ancient times as remedy for hydrophobia, cure for madness, and calmative for anger +

Amaranthus +

Greek amarantos, unfading, nonwith ering +

Amauriopsis +

Generic name Amauria, and Greek - opsis, resembling +

Amberboa +

Pre-Linnaean genus name Amberboi Vaillant, cited by Linnaeus in his original publication of Centaurea +

Amblyodon +

Greek amblys, blunt, obtuse, and odon, tooth, alluding to peristome +

Amblyolepis +

Greek ambly, blunt, and lepis, scale +

Amblyopappus +

Greek ambly -, blunt, and pappos, pappus +

Amblystegium +

Greek amblys, blunt, and stege, roof, alluding to obtuse operculum +

Ambrosia +

Greek ambrosia, “food of the gods,” allusion unclear +

Amelanchier +

Old Savoy name for Amelanchier ovalis Medikus +

Amerorchis +

America plus orchis, from the American distribution of this close relative of Eurasian Orchis +

Amianthium +

merged Greek amiantos, unsoiled, and anthos, flower, alluding to the glandless tepals +

Ammannia +

For Paul Ammann, 1634–1691, Professor of Botany at Leipzig +

Amoreuxia +

for Pierre-Joseph Amoreux, 1741 – 1824, French physician and naturalist +

Ampelaster +

Greek ampelos, vine, alluding to habit, and generic name Aster +

Ampelopsis +

Greek ampelos, grapevine, and -opsis, similarity +

Amphiachyris +

Greek amphi -, around, and achyron, chaff or husks, alluding to ring of pappus elements +

Amphidium +

Variant of Amphoridium (nomenclaturally unavailable), diminutive of Greek amphora, flask, alluding to capsule shape +

Amphipappus +

Greek amphi- , double or two, and pappos, pappus alluding to dimorphic pappi, ray cypselae and disc cypselae +

Amphiscirpus +

Greek amphi- , doubtful, ambiguous, and Latin scirpus, bulrush +

Anacamptodon +

Greek ana- , back, kamptos, bent, and odon, tooth, alluding to reflexed exostome teeth +

Anacolia +

Greek ana- , above, and koleos, sheath, alluding to leaf base not sheathing +

Anagallis +

Greek anagalao, to laugh, alluding to fabled power to alleviate sadness +

Anaphalis +

An ancient name or, perhaps, derived from generic name Gnaphalium +

Ancistrocactus +

Greek ankistron, fish hook, referring to hooked centr al spines, and Cactus, an old genus name +

Ancistrocarphus +

Greek ankistros, fishhook, and karphos, chaff, alluding to staminate paleae of type species +

Andreaea +

For J. G. R. Andreae, 1724–1793, apothecary of Hanover, Germany +

Andreaeobryum +

Genus Andreaea and Greek bryon, moss, alluding to anomalous resemblance +

Andromeda +

For Greek mythological daughter of Cepheus and Cassiope, married to Perseus +

Androsace +

Greek, andros, male, and sakos, shield, alluding to anther shape +

Androstephium +

Greek andros, stamen, and stephanos, crown, alluding to the apical appendages of the united filaments +

Anelsonia +

For Aven Nelson, 1859–1952, American botanist who studied the flora of Wyoming and neighboring states +

Anemia +

Greek aneimon, without clothing, referring to the absence of blade protection for the sporangia +

Anemone +

etymology not clear: probably Greek anemos, wind +, possibly from Naaman, Se for Adonis, whose blood, according to myth, produced Anemone coronaria +

Anemopsis +

Greek anemone, the windflower, and opsis, appearance +

Angelonia +

Latin rendering of Venezuelan common name angelon +

Anisocarpus +

Greek anisos, unequal or dissimilar, and karpos, fruit, alluding to contrasting ray (fertile) and disc (sterile) ovaries in type species +

Anisocoma +

Greek anisos, unequal, and coma, hair, alluding to pappus +

Annona +

native Hispaniolan anon or hanon, given to A. muricata +

Anoda +

Ceylonese vernacular name for a species of Abutilon +

Anoectangium +

Greek anoiktos, opened, and angos, container, alluding to wide-mouthed capsule +

Anomobryum +

Greek anomos, lawless or different, and bryon, moss, alluding to somewhat hypnaceous distal laminal cells +

Anomodon +

Greek, anomalos, abnormal, and odon, tooth, alluding to reduced peristome +

Anredera +

for Anreder, about whom nothing else is known +

Antennaria +

Latin antenna, and aria, connection to or possession of, alluding to similarity of clavate pappus bristles in staminate florets to antennae of some insects +

Anthemis +

Greek anthemon, flower +

Antigonon +

etymology uncertain +, perhaps Greek anti- , against, and gony, knee, alluding to angled stems, or Greek anti- , in place of, and genus Polygonum, alluding to affinity +

Antirrhinum +

Greek anti, like or resembling, and rhinos, nose, alluding to shape of corolla +

Antitrichia +

Greek anti, opposite, and thrix, hair, alluding to endostome segments opposite exostome teeth +

Anulocaulis +

Latin anulus, ring, and caule, stem, in reference to the sticky internodal rings +

Aongstroemia +

For Johan Ångström, 1813–1879, Swedish bryologist +

Apacheria +

For Apache Indians +

Aphanes +

Greek aphanes, unseen, invisible, alluding to inconspicuous nature of plants and/or flowers +

Aphanisma +

Greek aphanes, obscure or inconspicuous +

Aphanorrhegma +

Greek, aphanes, invisible,and rhegma, fracture, alluding to inconspicuous line of capsule dehiscence +

Aphanostephus +

Greek aphanes, obscure, and stephanos, crown, apparently alluding to low coronal pappus of some species +

Aphragmus +

Greek a-, not or without, and phragma, septum, alluding to its lack in fruit of some species +

Aplectrum +

Greek a, without, and plectron, spur +

Aplodon +

Greek haplo- , single, and odon, tooth, alluding to single layer of peristome teeth +

Apodanthera +

Greek a- , without, podos, foot, and anthera, anther, alluding to sessile anthers +

Aponogeton +

Greek, from aquatic habitat +

Aptenia +

Greek a- , not, and pt enos, winged, in reference to the lack of wings on the capsules +

Apteria +

Greek a, without, and pteron, wing +

Aquilegia +

derivation disputed +, possibly Greek aqua, water, and legere, to draw or collect, because of the wet habitat of some species or quantity of liquid nectar borne in spurs, or Latin aquila, eagle, because of similarity in shape of curved spurs of some European species to an eagle's talons +

Arabidopsis +

Genus Arabis and Greek opsis, resembling +

Arabis +

Latin Arabia +

Arachniodes +

Greek arachnion, spider's web, and -odes, having the form or nature of +, it has been suggested that Blume saw fungal hyphae or spider webs on his original material +

Arbutus +

Classical Latin name for European strawberry tree, A. unedo Linnaeus +

Arceuthobium +

Greek arceuthos, juniper, and bios, life, alluding to A. oxycedri, which parasitizes that host +

Archidium +

Greek arche, primitive form or nature, alluding to small, simple plants and cleistocarpous capsule +

Arctanthemum +

Greek arktos, northern, and anthemon, flower, alluding to arctic range +

Arctium +

Greek arktion, from arktos, bear, perhaps alluding to rough involucre +

Arctoa +

Greek arktos, bear, alluding to an arctic or northern distribution +

Arctomecon +

Greek arktos, bear, alluding to the long-pilose pubescence, and mekon, poppy +

Arctostaphylos +

Greek arktos, bear, and staphyle, bunch of grapes, alluding to common name for A. uva-ursi +

Arctotheca +

Greek arktos, brown bear, and theke, case, capsule, container, alluding to dense, woolly tomentum of cypselae of some species +

Arctotis +

Greek arktos, brown bear, and ous, otos, ear, perhaps alluding to shape of pappus scales +

Arctous +

Greek arktous, northern, alluding to distribution +

Ardisia +

Greek ardis, point of arrow or spear, alluding to anthers and/or corolla lobes +

Arenaria +

Latin arena, sand, a common habitat +

Arethusa +

Greek Arethusa, mythical river nymph +

Argemone +

a poppylike herb mentioned by Pliny +

Argyranthemum +

Greek argyros, silver, and anthemon, flower +, allusion unclear +

Argyrochosma +

Greek argyros, silver, and chosma, powder, referring to whitish farina covering the abaxial surface of leaf blades in most species +

Argythamnia +

Greek argyros, silver-white, and thamnos, shrub, alluding to trunk and branches covered with whitish bark +

Arida +

Latin aridus, dry, alluding to xeric habitat typical of members +

Ariocarpus +

The genus Aria and Greek karpos, fruit, referring to the Aria -like fruit +

Arisaema +

Greek aris, plant name used by Pliny, and haima, blood, in reference to the red-spotted leaves of some species +

Aristocapsa +

Latin arista, awn, and capsa, box, alluding to awned involucres +

Aristolochia +

Greek aristolocheia, birthwort, from aristos, best, and lochia, delivery, in reference to ancient use of herb as aid in childbirth +

Arivela +

Origin obscure +

Armeria +

Celtic ar mor, at seaside, alluding to habitat +

Armoracia +

Ancient Greek name for horseradish, or perhaps Celtic ar, near, mor, sea, and rich, against, alluding to habitat +

Arnica +

Ancient Latin or Greek plant name +

Arnoglossum +

Greek arnos, lamb, and glossum, tongue +, ancient name for some species of Plantago +

Arnoseris +

Greek arnos, sheep, and seris, a kind of endive +, allusion unclear +

Aronia +

Greek Aria, name for whitebeam (formerly a species of Sorbus), alluding to resemblance to chokeberry fruit +

Arrhenopterum +

Greek, arrhen, strong, and pteron, feather or wing, possibly alluding to featherlike evenness of leaf arrangement +

Artemisia +

Greek Artemis, goddess of the hunt and namesake of Artemisia, Queen of Anatolia +

Arthrocnemum +

Greek arthro- , jointed, and cneme, leg, between knee and ankle, internode, referring to the jointed appearance of the branches +

Aruncus +

Greek arunkos, goat’s beard, alluding to showy fingerlike clusters forming feathery flowers +

Asanthus +

Asa, honoring American botanist Asa Gray, 1810–1888, and Greek anthos, flower +

Asarum +

Ancient Greek asaron, name of an unknown plant +

Aschisma +

Greek, a-, not or without, and schisma, split, alluding to indehiscent capsule +

Asemeia +

Greek a, absence, and semion, sign or flag, alluding to distinctness from Polygala in absence of vexillum +

Asimina +

American Indian assimin through French asiminier +

Asparagus +

Greek asparasso, to rip, alluding to the spiny leaves of some species +

Asphodelus +

Greek asphodelos, flower of Hades and the dead +

Aspicarpa +

Greek aspis, shield, and karpos, fruit, alluding to shape of nutlet of A. hirtella in abaxial view +

Aspidotis +

Greek aspidotes, shield-bearer, for the shieldlike false indusia +

Asplenium +

Greek splen, spleen +, thought by Dioscorides to be useful for treating spleen diseases +

Aster +

Latin aster, star, alluding to heads as seen from above +

Astilbe +

Greek a-, without, and stilbo, sheen, alluding to foliage otherwise resembling that of Aruncus +

Astraea +

For Greek mythological Astraea (star maiden), daughter of Zeus and Themis +

Astranthium +

Greek astron, star, and anthos, flower, alluding to head as seen from above +

Astrolepis +

Greek astro, star, and lepis, scale, in reference to the starlike scales on the adaxial blade surface +

Astrophytum +

Greek asteros, star, in reference to the star-shaped stem cross section of the type species, and phyton, plant +

Atamisquea +

For Atamisco region of Chile +

Athyrium +

Greek athyros, doorless +, the sporangia only tardily push back the outer edge of the indusium +

Athysanus +

Greek a- , without, and thysanos, fringe, alluding to fruit margin +

Atrichoseris +

Greek a- , without, trichos, hair, and seris, chicory, alluding to lack of pappus +

Atrichum +

Greek a-, without, and trichos, hair, alluding to calyptra +

Atriplex +

ancient Latin name +

Aubrieta +

For Claude Aubriet, 1663–1743, French artist +

Aucuba +

Latinized Japanese name aokiba +

Aulacomnium +

Greek aulax, furrow, and mnion, moss, alluding to sulcate capsules +

Aureolaria +

Latin aureolus, golden, and -arius, possession, alluding to corolla +

Aurinia +

Latin aurum, gold, and -inia, colored, alluding to flower +

Axyris +

Greek axyros (a, not, and xyrios, razor), blunt, not cutting, in reference to the mild taste +

Ayenia +

For Louis de Noailles, 1713 – 1793, first Duc d’Ayen +

Azolla +

Greek azo, to dry, and ollyo, to kill, alluding to death from drought +

B

Baccharis +

For Roman god Bacchus, allusion obscure, perhaps used originally for different plant +

Bacopa +

Aboriginal name in French Guiana +

Bahia +

For J. F. Bahí, 1775–1841, professor of botany at Barcelona +

Bahiopsis +

Generic name Bahia and Greek - opsis, resembling +

Baileya +

For Jacob Whitman Bailey, 1811–1857, researcher of diatomaceous algae at the U.S. Military Academy +

Balduina +

For William Baldwin, 1779–1819, American botanist +

Balsamorhiza +

Greek balsamon, a fragrant gum, and rhiza, root +, alluding to resiniferous rootstocks +

Barbarea +

For Saint Barbara, fourth-century, or perhaps alluding to being the only plants available for food on Saint Barbara’s Day (4 December) +

Barbella +

Latin barba, beard, and - ella, diminutive, alluding to pendent secondary stems +

Barbula +

Latin barba, beard, and -ula, diminutive, alluding to peristome +

Barkleyanthus +

For Theodore M. Barkley, 1934–2004, North American botanist +

Bartlettia +

For John Russell Bartlett, 1805–1886, United States Commissioner of the U.S.-Mexico Boundary Survey +

Bartramia +

For John Bartram, 1699 – 1777, Pennsylvania botanist, horticulturist, and explorer +

Bartramiopsis +

Genus Bartramia and Greek -opsis, resembling +

Bartsia +

For Johann Bartsch, 1709–1738, German physician +

Basiphyllaea +

Greek basis, base, and phyllon, leaf, referring to the single basal leaf +

Bassia +

For F. Bassi, 1710–1774, Italian naturalist +

Bastardia +

For Toussaint Bastard, 1784 – 1846, French botanist +

Batesimalva +

For David M. Bates, b. 1935 American botanist, and Latin malva, mallow +

Batis +

probably from Greek via Latin for another coastal plant, or possibly Greek batos, bramble +

Bebbia +

For Michael S. Bebb, 1833–1895, American botanist and willow specialist +

Begonia +

For Michel Bégon, 1638 – 1710 French governor of Haiti and patron of botany +

Bejaria +

For José Béjar, eighteenth-century professor of surgery at Cádiz, Spain +

Belamcanda +

apparently based on a vernacular name in western India +

Bellardia +

For Carlo Antonio Lodovico Bellardi, 1741–1826, professor of botany at University of Turin +

Bellibarbula +

Latin bellus, beautiful, and genus Barbula +

Bellis +

Latin bellus, pretty +

Beloglottis +

Greek (Latinized) belos, arrow, and glotta, tongue, possibly alluding to sagittate lip +

Benitoa +

For San Benito County, California, alluding to distribution +

Bensoniella +

For Gilbert Thereon Benson, 1896–1928, Stanford University botanist +

Berberis +

Mediaeval Latin barbaris +

Berchemia +

For Jacob Pierre Berthoud van Berchem, eighteenth-century Dutch mineralogist and naturalist +

Bergerocactus +

for Alwin Berger, 1871–1931, German cactologist and horticulturist at La Mortola, Italy, and Cactus, an old genus name +

Bergia +

For Peter J. Bergius, 1730–1790, Swedish botanist and physician, student of Linnaeus +

Berlandiera +

For Jean Louis Berlandier, 1805–1851, Belgian explorer in North America +

Bernardia +

Probably for Bernard de Jussieu, 1699–1777, French botanist +

Berteroa +

For Carlo Giuseppe Bertero, 1789–1831, Italian physician and botanist who settled in Chile +

Bestia +

For George Newton Best, 1846 – 1926 American bryologist +

Beta +

derivation uncertain, possibly from Celtic name for red root +

Betula +

Latin betula, birch +

Bidens +

Latin bis, two, and dens, tooth, alluding to 2-awned pappi of the original species +

Bigelowia +

For Jacob Bigelow, 1787–1879, Massachusetts medical and botanical scholar +

Billieturnera +

For Billie Lee Turner, b. 1925, American botanist +

Bischofia +

For Gottleib Wilhelm T. G. Bischoff, 1797–1854, German botanist +

Bistorta +

Latin, bi -, twice, and tortus, twisted, alluding to the rhizomes of some species +

Blechnum +

Greek blechnon, an ancient name for ferns in general +

Blennosperma +

Greek blennos, mucus, and sperma, seed, alluding to cypselae becoming mucilaginous when wetted +

Blepharipappus +

Greek blepharis, eyelash, and pappos, pappus, alluding to ciliate pappus scales +

Blepharizonia +

Greek blepharis, eyelash, and zona, girdle or ring +, perhaps alluding to rings of ciliate pappus scales, or from generic names Blepharipappus and Hemizonia, alluding to resemblance +

Bletia +

For Luis Blet, a Catalonian apothecary of the eighteenth century who accompanied Ruiz and Pavón on their New World explorations +

Blindia +

For J. J. Blind, pastor at Münster, 1834–1848 +

Bloomeria +

for H. G. Bloomer, 1821–1874, early San Francisco botanist and one-time botanical curator at the California Academy of Sciences +

Blutaparon +

abridged from old Latin name Bulutaparon +

Blysmopsis +

Blysmus, a genus name, and Greek - opsis, likeness +

Blyxa +

Greek blyxo, to gush forth, spout out, bubble up +

Boechera +

For Tyge Wittrock Böcher, 1909–1983, Danish cytogeneticist who worked on subarctic flowering plants +

Boehmeria +

for G. R. Böhmer, German botanist +

Boerhavia +

for Hermann Boerhaave, 1668–1738, physician and botanist of Leiden +

Bolandra +

For Henry Nicholas Bolander, 1831–1897, physician and collector for California State Geological Survey +

Bolboschoenus +

Greek bolbos, a bulb, and schoenos, a rush, reed, in reference to the presence of corms +

Boltonia +

For James Bolton, fl. 1750s–1799, English botanist, artist +

Bonellia +

For Franco Andrea Bonelli, 1784–1830, Italian zoologist +

Bontia +

For Jacobus Bontius, 1592–1631, Dutch physician and botanist in Java +

Borrichia +

For Ole Borch (Olaus Borrichius), 1626–1690, Danish botanist +

Boschniakia +

For Alexander Karlovich Boschniak, 1786–1831, Russian botanist +

Botrychium +

Greek botrychos, stalk of bunch of grapes, and Latin ium, diminutive, alluding to appearance of sporangial clusters on sporophore +

Boykinia +

For Samuel Boykin, 1786–1848, planter, physician, and naturalist of Milledgeville, Georgia +

Brachelyma +

Greek brachys, short, and elyma, veil, alluding to diminutive calyptra +

Brachychiton +

Greek brachys, short, and chiton, tunic, evidently alluding to covering of short hairs on seeds +

Brachydontium +

Greek brachys, short, and odontion, small tooth, alluding to peristome teeth +

Brachymenium +

Greek brachys, short, and hy menion, little membrane, alluding to poorly developed endostome +

Brachystigma +

Greek brachys, short, and stigma, stigma +

Brachytheciastrum +

Genus Brachythecium and Latin - astrum, incomplete resemblance +

Brachythecium +

Greek brachys, short, and theke, case, alluding to capsule +

Bradburia +

For John Bradbury, 1768–1823, English naturalist, collector for the Liverpool Botanic Garden in the Missouri Territory, 1810–1811 +

Brandegea +

For Townshend Stith Brandegee, 1843 – 1925, California botanist, explorer and collector, civil engineer, topographer +

Brasenia +

for Christoph Brasen, 1738-1774, Moravian missionary and plant collector in Greenland and Labrador +

Brassia +

for William Brass, an eighteenth-century British botanical illustrator and collector +

Brassica +

Latin name for cabbage +

Braunia +

For Alexander Carl Heinrich Braun, 1805 – 1877, Director of the Berlin Botanic Garden +

Braya +

For Franz Gabriel de Bray, 1765–1832, French ambassador to Bavaria, head of Regensberg Botanical Society +

Breynia +

For Jacob Breyne, 1637–1697, and his son Johann Philipp Breyne, 1680–1764, Polish botanists +

Brickellia +

For John Brickell, 1748–1809, Irish-born physician and naturalist who settled in Georgia (not John Brickell, 1710?–1745, Irish naturalist who visited North Carolina ca. 1729–1731 and published on the natural history of North Carolina in 1737) +

Brickelliastrum +

Generic name Brickellia and Latin - astrum, indicating inferiority or an incomplete resemblance +

Brintonia +

For Jeremiah Bernard Brinton, 1835–1894, of Philadelphia +

Brodiaea +

for James Brodie, 1744–1824, Scottish cryptogamic botanist +

Brosimum +

Greek brosimos, edible +

Brothera +

For Viktor Ferdinand Brotherus, 1849–1929, Finnish bryologist +

Brotherella +

For Viktor Ferdinand Brotherus, 1849 – 1929, Finnish bryologist +

Broussonetia +

for Pierre Marie Auguste Broussonet (1761-1807), French biologist at Montpellier +

Bruchia +

For Philipp Bruch, 1781–1847, German pharmacist and bryologist +

Brunnichia +

for Morten Thrane Brunnich, 1737–1827, eighteenth-century Danish naturalist +

Bryhnia +

For Nils Bryhn, 1854 – 1916, Norwegian bryologist +

Bryoandersonia +

Greek, bryon, moss, and Lewis Edward Anderson, 1912 – 2007 American bryologist +

Bryobrittonia +

Greek bryon, moss, and for Elizabeth G. Knight Britton, 1858–1934, American botanist +

Bryocrumia +

For Howard Alvin Crum, 1922–2002, American bryologist +

Bryoerythrophyllum +

Greek bryon, moss, erythros, red, and phyllon, leaf +

Bryolawtonia +

For Elva Lawton, 1896 – 1993 American bryologist +

Bryonia +

Greek bruein, to burgeon or sprout, alluding to rapid growth of herbaceous stems produced annually from large perennial roots +

Bryophyllum +

Greek bryo, swell, and phyllon, leaf +

Bryoxiphium +

Greek bryon, moss, and xiphium, sword, alluding to plant form +

Bryum +

Greek bryon, moss +

Buchnera +

For Andreas Elias von Büchner, 1701–1769, physician +

Buckiella +

For William Russel Buck, b. 1950, American bryologist, and Latin - ella, diminutive +

Bucklandiella +

From Monte Buckland, mountain of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, name commemorating William Buckland, 1784–1856, geologist, canon of Christ Church, Oxford, dean of Westminster from 1845, and Latin -ella, diminuntive +

Buckleya +

For Samuel Botsford Buckley, 1809–1884, American botanist +

Buddleja +

For Adam Buddle, 1660–1715, English botanist, vicar of Farmbridge +

Bulbophyllum +

Greek bolbos, bulb, and phyllon, leaf, referring to its leafy pseudobulb +

Bulbostylis +

Latin bulbus, bulb, and stylus, style +

Bunias +

Greek and Latin bunias, a kind of common mustard or turnip +

Burmannia +

For Johannes Burman, 1707–1779, Dutch botanist +

Butomus +

Greek butomos/butomon, marsh plant +, from Greek bous, cow, and temno, to cut +, referring to sharp leaves, known or believed to cut mouths of cattle +

Buxbaumia +

For J. C. Buxbaum, 1693–1730, its discoverer +

Buxus +

buxus +, from Greek pyxos (or puxos), name for box tree, of uncertain origin but supposedly from pyknos, dense, solid, alluding to excellent wood +

Byrsonima +

Greek byrsa, leather, alluding to use of bark of some species in tanning +, meaning of suffix obscure +

C

Cabomba +

probably an aboriginal name +

Cacaliopsis +

Genus name Cacalia and Greek - opsis, like +

Cakile +

Arabic name qaqulleh +

Calandrinia +

For J. L. Calandrini, 1703–1758, Swiss botanist +

Calendula +

Latin calends, first day of the month, and -ula, tendency +, perhaps meaning “through the months” and alluding to ± year-round flowering +

Calepina +

Greek chalepaino, term used by Theophrastus probably in connection with weedy plants +, some authors believe it derived from Arabic Haleb (erroneously rendered Chaleb by some), name for the Syrian city Aleppo, but highly unlikely since Adanson based it on Bauhin’s Myagrum monospermum minus, collected in southern France +

Calla +

a plant name used by Pliny, perhaps from Greek kallos, beauty +

Callaeum +

Greek kallaion, cockscomb, alluding to lobed or corrugated outgrowths on samara between lateral and dorsal wings in the type species, C. nicaraguense +

Callicladium +

Greek kallos, beauty, and klados, branch or shoot, alluding to habit +

Callicostella +

Latin callum, hardened or thick, costa, rib, and -ella, diminutive, alluding to strong costae +

Calliergon +

Greek kallos, beauty, and ergon, work, alluding to appearance +

Calliergonella +

Genus Calliergon and Latin -ella, diminutive +

Callirhoë +

Derivation uncertain +, possibly Greek kallos, beautiful, and rhoias, corn poppy, alluding to resemblance +

Callisia +

Greek kallos, beauty, referring to the attractive leaves +

Callitriche +

Greek kallos, beautiful, and trichos, hair, presumably alluding to fine leaves of some growth forms +

Callitris +

Greek callos, beautiful, and treis, three, referring to the beauty of the plants and the three-whorled leaves and cone scales +

Calluna +

Greek kallyno, to brush, sweep, or cleanse, alluding to use as brooms +

Calocedrus +

Greek callos, beautiful, and kedros, cedar +

Calochortus +

Greek kalos, beautiful, and chortos, grass +

Calophyllum +

Greek kalos, beautiful, and phyllon, leaf +

Calopogon +

Greek kalos, beautiful, and pogon, beard, alluding to hairlike protuberances on lamellae +

Caltha +

Greek name for some yellow-flowered plants +

Calycadenia +

Greek calyx, cup, and aden, gland, alluding to tack-glands of peduncular bracts and/or phyllaries +

Calycanthus +

Greek kályx, covering, cup, and anthos, flower +

Calycocarpum +

Greek, calyx, cup, and carpos, fruit +

Calycoseris +

Greek kalyx, cup, and seris, chicory, alluding to shallow cups on apices of cypselae +

Calydorea +

Greek caly, sheathed or covered, and dory, spear, most likely alluding to the spear-shaped buds enclosed until anthesis within the rhipidial spathes +

Calymperes +

Greek kalymma, covering, and peiro, pierce, alluding to fissured calyptra +

Calypso +

Greek kalypso, a figure in Homer’s Odyssey +

Calyptocarpus +

Greek kalypto, covered or hidden, and karpos, fruit +

Calyptranthes +

Greek kalyptra, cap or cover, and anthos, flower, alluding to calyx covering stamens in flower bud +

Camassia +

Shoshone name camas or quamash +

Camelina +

Greek chamai, dwarf or on the ground, and linon, flax, alluding to suppressing influence on growth of flax +

Camissonia +

For Ludolf Karl Adelbert von Chamisso, 1781–1838, French-born German botanist +

Camissoniopsis +

Genus Camissonia and Greek -opsis, resemblance +

Campyliadelphus +

Genus Campylium and Greek adelphos, brother, alluding to similarity +

Campylium +

Greek campylos, curved, alluding to reflexed leaves +

Campylocentrum +

Greek kampylos, crooked, and kentros, spur, alluding to the floral lip with a long, slender, sharply curved spur +

Campyloneurum +

Greek kampylos, curved, and neuron, nerve, in reference to the venation +

Campylophyllum +

Greek kampylos, bent, and phyllon, leaf, alluding to recurved leaves +

Campylopodiella +

Genus Campylopus and Latin -ella, diminutive +

Campylopus +

Greek campylos, curved, and pous, foot, alluding to curved seta +

Campylostelium +

Greek kampylos, bent, and stele, pillar, alluding to curved seta +

Canadanthus +

Canada and Greek anthos, flower, alluding to mainly Canadian distribution +

Canbya +

for William M. Canby, 1831-1904, Delaware botanist +

Canella +

ella, diminutive, because of the tightly rolled bark when dried +

Canna +

Greek kanna, reedlike plant +

Cannabis +

Greek kannabis, hemp, said to come from Arabic kinnab or Persian kannab +

Canotia +

Spanish name in Mexico +

Caperonia +

For Natalis (Noël) Caperon or Capperon, d. 1572, apothecary of Orleans +

Capraria +

Latin capri, goat, and -arius, pertaining to, alluding to consumption by goats +

Capsella +

Latin capsa, box or case, alluding to fruit resembling medieval wallet or purse +

Cardamine +

Greek kardamon, name for a cress +

Cardionema +

Greek kardio, heart, and nema, thread, alluding to the obcordate anthers and slender filaments +

Carduus +

From ancient name of thistlelike plant +

Carica +

Alluding to imagined resemblance of leaves or fruits to those of a fig, Ficus carica, erroneously thought to be from Caria in southwestern Asia Minor +

Carlina +

For Charles V, 1500–1558, Holy Roman Emperor +

Carlquistia +

For Sherwin Carlquist, b. 1930, Californian botanist +

Carminatia +

For Bassiani Carminati, eighteenth-century Italian author of book on hygiene, therapeutics, and materia medica +

Carnegiea +

For Andrew Carnegie, 1835–1919, Scottish-born American philanthropist and patron for systematic studies of cacti +

Carpenteria +

For William Marbury Carpenter, 1811–1848, Louisiana physician and botanist +

Carphephorus +

Greek karphos, chaff, and phoros, bearing, alluding to receptacular paleae +

Carphochaete +

Greek karphos, chaff, and chaite, long bristle +

Carpinus +

Latin carpinus, hornbeam, possibly from carpentum, a Roman horse-drawn vehicle with wheels made from its hard wood +

Carpobrotus +

Greek karpos, fruit, and brota, edible things +

Carrichtera +

For Bartholomaeus Carrichter, sixteenth-century herbalist, alchemist, and physician to Emperor Maximilian II +

Carsonia +

For Carson Desert of Nevada +

Carthamus +

Arabic qartam, safflower +

Carya +

Greek káryon, nut, kernel +

Caryota +

Greek caryon, nut +

Cascadia +

For the Cascade Mountains of western North America +

Cassiope +

Greek mythological Cassiope, wife of Cepheus and mother of Andromeda +

Cassytha +

Greek kasytas, name for Cuscuta +

Castanea +

Classical Latin, from Greek kastanaion karuon, nut from Castania, probably referring either to Kastanaia in Pontus or Castana in Thessaly +

Castilleja +

For Domingo Castillejo, 1744–1793, Spanish botanist +

Casuarina +

Neo-Latin casuarius, cassowary, from resemblance of drooping branchlets to feathers of the cassowary +

Catoscopium +

Greek kata, down, and skopeo, look, alluding to orientation of capsule mouth +

Caulanthus +

Greek kaulos, stem, and anthos, flower, alluding to insertion of flowers along stem +

Caulophyllum +

Greek caulos, stem, and phyllos, leaf +

Causonis +

Derivation unknown +, perhaps Latin causa, reason, and onus, necessity, alluding to segregation from Cissus +

Cayaponia +

Derivation uncertain, perhaps from Caiapó, river or native tribe of Amazonian Brazil +

Ceanothus +

Greek keanothus, name used by Dioscorides for some spiny plant +

Celastrus +

Greek kelastros, ancient name for holly, Ilex aquifolium +

Celosia +

Greek keleos, burning, alluding to color and/or appearance of the inflorescence of C. cristata +

Celtis +

Classical Latin, Pliny's name for Celtis australis Linnaeus, the "lotus" of the ancient world +

Centaurea +

Greek kentaurieon, ancient plant name associated with Chiron, a centaur famous for knowledge of medicinal plants +

Centratherum +

Latin centrum, center, and atherum, prickle or awn, perhaps alluding to spine-tipped middle phyllaries of original species +

Centromadia +

Latin centron, prickle, and generic name Madia +

Centrostegia +

Greek kentron, spur and stegion, roof, alluding to arched saccate spurs at base of involucre +

Cephalanthera +

Greek kephale, head, and anthera, anther +

Cerastium +

Greek, ceras, horn, alluding to shape of capsule +

Ceratiola +

Greek keration, little horn, alluding to style branches +

Ceratodon +

Greek keratos, horn, and odon, tooth, alluding to peristome teeth forked like goat horns +

Ceratophyllum +

Greek ceratos, horn, and phyllon, leaf +

Ceratopteris +

Greek cerato, horned, and pteris, fern, referring to the antlerlike fertile leaf +

Ceratotheca +

Greek keratos, horned, and theke, case, alluding to barbed fruit +

Cercocarpus +

Greek kerkos, tail, and karpos, fruit +

Cevallia +

For Pedro Cevallos, 1760–1840, Spanish statesman and diplomat +

Chaenactis +

Greek chaino, to gape, and aktis, ray, alluding to enlarged peripheral corollas of type species +

Chaenomeles +

Greek chaino, open, and melon, apple, alluding to mistakenly presumed splitting of fruit +

Chaenorhinum +

Greek chaino, to gape, and rhis, snout, alluding to open throat of corolla as compared to Antirrhinum and Linaria +

Chaetadelpha +

Greek chaite, long hair, bristles, and adelphe, sister, alluding to adnation of awns and bristles of pappi +

Chaetopappa +

Greek chaite, long hair, and pappos, pappus +

Chamaebatia +

Greek chamai, low, and batos, bramble, alluding to habit +

Chamaebatiaria +

Genus Chamaebatia and Latin - aria, connection, alluding to resemblance +

Chamaechaenactis +

Greek, chamae -, creeping, low, on the ground, and generic name Chaenactis +

Chamaecyparis +

Greek chamai, on the ground, or dwarf, and cyparissos, cypress +

Chamaedaphne +

Greek chamai, dwarf, and daphne, laurel, alluding to low habit and persistent leaves +

Chamaedorea +

Greek chamai, on the ground, and dorea, gift, in reference to small, low-growing palms of great beauty +

Chamaelirium +

Greek chamae, on the ground, and lirion, white lily +

Chamaemelum +

Greek chamae- , on the ground, lowly, creeping, and melon, orchard, alluding to common habitat +

Chamaenerion +

Greek chamae-, on the ground or dwarf, and nērion, oleander, alluding to resemblance of flower color and foliage +

Chamaerhodos +

Greek chamai, dwarf, and rhodon, rose, alluding to appearance of plants +

Chamelaucium +

Derivation uncertain +, possibly Greek chamai, dwarf, and lauchis, poplar, alluding to flower +, or kamelaukion, headdress of medieval Popes, alluding to form of calyptra +

Chaptalia +

For J. A. C. Chaptal, 1756–1831, who invented the wine-making process called chaptalization +

Chasmanthe +

Greek chasme, gap, and anthos, flower, alluding to the shape of the flower +

Cheilanthes +

Greek cheilos, margin, and anthus, flower, referring to the marginal sporangia +

Cheiroglossa +

Greek cheir, hand, and glossa, tongue +, in reference to the palmately lobed trophophores and the linear sporophores +

Chelidonium +

Greek cheilidon, swallow (bird), perhaps from lore reported by Aristotle and others that mother swallows bathe eyes of their young with the sap +

Chelone +

Greek chelon, tortoise, alluding to fancied resemblance between flower back and tortoise back +

Chenia +

For Chen Pan Chieh, 1907–1970, Chinese bryologist +

Chenopodium +

Greek chen, goose, and pous, foot, in reference to the shape of the leaf +

Chimaphila +

Greek cheima, winter, and philia, love, alluding to evergreen habit +

Chionodoxa +

Greek chion, snow, and doxa, glory or repute +

Chionophila +

Greek chion, snow, and philios, loving, alluding to high-elevation habitats +

Chloracantha +

Greek chloros, green, and akantha, thorn +

Chlorocrambe +

Greek chlor -, green, and Crambe, a genus of Brassicaceae +

Chlorogalum +

Greek chloros, green, and gala, milk, alluding to the lather-producing juice of the bulbs +

Chloropyron +

Greek chloros, green or yellow-green, and pyros, fire, hence red or yellow, alluding to yellowish green plants +

Chondrilla +

Name used by Dioscorides for plant that exudes milky juice or gum +

Chorisiva +

Greek choris -, separate, and Iva, a related genus +, allusion recondite, perhaps “separate from Iva ” or to “scattered” arrangement of heads +

Chorispora +

Greek choris, asunder or separate, and spora, seed, alluding to fruit breaking at constrictions into one-seeded segments +

Chorizanthe +

Greek chorizo, to divide, and anthos, flower, alluding to tepals +

Chromolaena +

Greek chroma, color, and laina, cloak, evidently alluding to the colored phyllaries of some species, including the type +

Chrysactinia +

Greek chrysos, gold, and actinos, ray +

Chrysanthemoides +

Generic name Chrysanthemum and Latin -oides, resembling +

Chryso-hypnum +

Greek chryseos, golden, and genus Hypnum +

Chrysobalanus +

Greek chrysos, golden, and balanos, acorn or fruit, alluding to yellow fruits of some individuals of C. icaco +

Chrysogonum +

Greek chrysos, gold, and gonos, seed, apparently alluding to the bright yellow, hemispheric capitula or to the fertile cypselae from the cypsela-complexes of the ray florets +

Chrysolepis +

Greek chrysos, gold, and lepis, scale, referring to yellow glands on various organs of the plant +

Chrysoma +

Greek chrysos, gold, and - ome, having the condition of +, alluding to predominantly yellow-gold heads and corymbs +

Chrysophyllum +

Greek chrysos, gold, and phyllon, leaf +

Chrysopsis +

Greek chrysos, gold, and opsis, appearance or likeness, alluding to yellow corollas +

Chrysosplenium +

Greek chrysos, gold, and splenos, spleen, alluding to color of flowers and to alleged medical properties +

Chrysothamnus +

Greek chryseos, golden, and thamnos, bush +

Chylismia +

Greek chylos, juice or succulence, and -isma, condition, alluding to fleshy leaves of C. scapoidea, the type species +

Chylismiella +

Genus Chylismia and Latin -ella, diminutive, alluding to flower size +

Cichorium +

Ancient Arabic name +

Cienfuegosia +

For Bernardo Cienfuegos, ca. 1580 – ca. 1640, Spanish botanist +

Cimicifuga +

Latin cimex, bug, and fugare, to drive away +

Cinclidium +

Greek kinklis, latticed gate, and eidos, shape or form, alluding to endostome +

Cinnamomum +

Greek kinnamomon, cinnamon +

Circaea +

Greek kirkaia, a poetic name, alluding to mythical enchantress Circe’s usage of an unknown plant as a charm +

Cirriphyllum +

Latin cirrus, curl, and Greek phyllon, leaf, alluding to appearance +

Cirsium +

Greek kirsion, thistle +

Cissus +

Greek kissos, ivy +

Cistanthe +

generic name Cistus (rockrose) and Greek anthos, flower, in reference to similarity of the flowers +

Cistus +

Ancient Greek name for plants of the genus +

Citrullus +

Generic name Citrus and Latin - ellus, diminutive, alluding to supposed resemblance of fruits +

Cladanthus +

Derivation not given +, possibly Greek klados, branch, and anthos, flower, alluding to branching of stems at bases of sessile heads in original species +

Cladium +

Greek clados, branch, referring to the highly branched inflorescences +

Claopodium +

Greek klao, break, and podion, little foot, apparently alluding to fragile setae +

Clappia +

For “Dr. Asahel Clapp, of New Albany, Indiana, one of the most zealous botanists of our Western States….” Quoted from protologue. +

Clarkia +

For Captain William Clark, 1770–1838, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition +

Clasmatodon +

Greek klasma, fragment, and odon, tooth, alluding to irregularly bifid endostome +

Claytonia +

for John Clayton, 1686–1773, physician and plant collector in Virginia +

Cleistes +

Greek kleistos, closed, alluding to lip and petals that diverge only near apex, forming tube for most of their length, the flower thus appearing closed +

Cleistocarpidium +

Greek kleistos, unopened, and karpos, fruit, alluding to indehiscent capsule without operculum +

Clematis +

Greek clema, plant shoot, ancient name of a vine +

Cleome +

Origin obscure, perhaps from Greek kleos, glory, or after Kleo, Greek muse of history, first used by Priscian, fourteenth-century medical writer +

Cleomella +

Generic name Cleome, and Latin -ella, dimunitive +

Cleoserrata +

Genus Cleome and serrata, serrate, alluding to leaflet margins +

Clethra +

Greek klethra, alder, alluding to resemblance of leaves of certain species +

Cliftonia +

For William Clifton, vital dates unknown, first attorney general of Georgia (1754–1764), later Chief Justice of West Florida +

Climacium +

Greek klimakion, small stair or ladder, alluding to broad perforations of endostome segments united by transverse tissue resembling rungs of a ladder +

Clintonia +

for De Witt Clinton (1769–1828), statesman and several-times governor of New York +

Clusia +

For Charles l’Écluse, 1525 – 1609, Flemish botanist +

Cnidoscolus +

Greek cnide, nettle, and skolos, thorn, alluding to stinging hairs +

Coccinia +

Latin coccineus, scarlet, alluding to mature fruit of C. grandis +

Coccoloba +

Greek, coccos, seed or berry, and lobos, capsule or pod, alluding to fleshy hypanthium surrounding fruit +

Coccothrinax +

Greek coccos, berry, and thrinax, trident or winnowing fork +

Cocculus +

diminutive of Latin coccum, berry +