How plants get their names. Weird and wonderful plant names The stories behind fun plant names revealed, from a famous movie villain to a Victorian tree-climbing theory. California Plant Names: Latin and Greek Meanings and Derivations — A Dictionary of Botanical Etymology In English the herb is known as cleavers or bedstraw – we think Madara is quite a bit prettier! Latinized names offer information about a plant’s classification, origins, and characteristics. Scientific Names of Plants, A-B . Most plants are poisonous. A formal naming system was developed to uniquely and meaningfully identify every plant. The name Plant is for a gardener as the name was originally derived from the Old English word plant meaning plant, or young tree. A few names on this list will fascinate those interested in the derivation of plant names: Achillea millefolium, Adonis amurensis, and Bougainvillea. The ball-shaped lettuce of today is a derivitive species (Lactuca sativa). The first two come from figures out of Greek mythology. Even the term 'Latin name' isn't strictly correct as many plant names are derived from other languages, including Greek and native ancient languages. the Etymology of plant names,* I now bring to your notice the names of Timber-trees. Both their scientific and common labels are rich in meaning, often revealing the history, uses or myths of a species. By Katie Avis-Riordan All plant names have a story to tell. Linden: Derived from the Old High German linta, this name means “linden tree.” M. Madara: This Latvian name comes from a type of flowering plant. Our tree-names possess an especial interest, arising from the fact that many of them are of great antiquity. The plant has tall stalks with elongated leaves, yellow flowers and feathery seeds. Humans have cultivated those few that were edible and nutritious or good tasting, and have selectively bred them over thousands of years for a variety of traits including size, flavor, and color. What is the purpose of latin plant names? It's often asked why plants have difficult to remember Latin names when their common name is far easier to recall. This universally adopted system has rules that govern how these names are officially assigned and updated. Sacred to : Aphrodite (the plant was associated with impotency) Mythology : Death of Adonis. For the vast number of horticulturalists, gardeners, and plant lovers interested in the origin and derivation of plant names, this book will be an invaluable reference. In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binominal nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages.Such a name is called a binomial name … The Origin of Cultivated Fruits and Vegetables. The name Lily comes from the Latin lilium and the lily flower, a symbol of purity. Adonis was a handsome youth loved by the goddess Aphrodite. The ancestors of the Plant family brought their name to England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. 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