The a to Z of Plant Names: A Quick Reference Guide to 4000 Garden Plants (6 page)

japonica
Thunb. juh-
pon
-i-kuh. Of Japan. China, Korea, Japan.

pachypoda
Elliott. pak-ee-
poh
-duh. White baneberry. Gk. thick-stalked (the fruit). N Am.

racemosa
(L.) Nutt. ras-i-
moh
-suh. Black snakeroot. Lat. in racemes (the flowers). N Am.

rubra
(Aiton) Willd.
rue
-bruh. Red baneberry. Lat. red (the fruit). N hemisph.

simplex
(DC.) Wormsk. ex Prantl.
sim
-plex. Lat. unbranched (the inflorescence). E Asia.

Actinidia
Lindl. (Actinidiaceae). ak-tin-
id
-ee-uh. From Gk. ray (the styles). 55 spp. woody climbers. E Asia.

arguta
(Sieb. & Zucc.) Planch. ex Miq. ar-
gew
-tuh. With sharp teeth (the leaves). China, Korea, Japan.

deliciosa
C. S. Liang & A. R. Ferguson. de-lis-ee-
oh
-suh. Chinese gooseberry, kiwi fruit. Lat. delicious (the fruit). China.

kolomikta
(Maxim. & Rupr.) Maxim. ko-loh-
mik
-tuh. From the native name. China, Korea, E Russia, Japan.

pilosula
(Finet. & Gagnep.) Stapf ex Hand.-Mazz. pi-
lohz
-ew-luh. Lat. a little hairy (the leaves). China.

polygama
(Sieb. & Zucc.) Maxim. po-
lig
-uh-muh. Silver vine. Lat. polygamous (i.e., having flowers of different sexes on the same plant). Japan.

Adenophora
Fisch. (Campanulaceae). ad-en-
of
-o-ruh. Gk. gland-bearing, referring to the tubular nectary. 40 spp. herbs. Eur., Asia.

bulleyana
Diels. boo-lee-
ah
-nuh. After Arthur Kiplin Bulley (1861–1942), Liverpool cotton merchant and founder of Bees Nursery, who sponsored plant collecting expeditions. China.

liliifolia
(L.) Ledeb. ex A. DC. lil-ee-i-
foh
-lee-uh. With leaves like
Lilium
.

potaninii
Korsh. po-tan-
in
-ee-ee. After Russian explorer Grigory Nikolayaevich Potanin (1835–1920). China.

Adiantum
L. (Adiantaceae). ad-ee-
an
-toom. Maidenhair fern. From Gk. unwettable (the fronds repel water). 200 spp. ferns. Worldwide.

aleuticum
(Rupr.) Paris. uh-
lue
-ti-koom. Of the Aleutian Is. N Am., N Mex.
‘Imbricatum’
. Lat. overlapping (the pinnae).

capillus-veneris
L. ka-
pil
-oos-
ven
-e-ris. Lat. hair of Venus (referring to the fine foliage).

hispidulum
Sw. his-
pid
-ew-loom. Roughly hairy (the rachis). S Asia, E Africa, Pacific Is.

pedatum
L. ped-
ah
-toom. Lat. resembling a bird’s foot (the fronds). E N Am.

raddianum
C. Presl. rad-ee-
ah
-num. After Italian botanist Giuseppe Raddi (1770–1829), who collected the type specimen in Brazil. Trop. Am.

tenerum
Sw.
ten
-e-room. Brittle maidenhair fern. Lat. delicate (the foliage). Florida to S Am.

venustum
D. Don. ven-
oos
-toom. Evergreen maidenhair fern. Lat. handsome. Himal., W China.

Adonis
L. (Ranunculaceae). uh-
doh
-nis. After Adonis of Gk. myth., who
is said to have been turned into one of these when he died. 20 spp. herbs. Eur., Asia.

aestivalis
L. ees-ti-
vah
-lis. Lat. of summer (flowering). Eur.

amurensis
Regel & Radde. am-ew-
ren
-sis. Of the Amur River. NE China, E Russia, Korea, Japan.

annua
L.
an
-ew-uh. Pheasant’s eye. Lat. annual. S Eur., W Asia.

vernalis
L. vur-
nah
-lis. Lat. of spring (flowering). Eur.

Adromischus
Lem. (Crassulaceae). ad-roh-
mis
-koos. From Gk. stout, stalk, referring to the flower stalks. 29 spp. succulents. S Africa.

cooperi
(Baker) A. Berger.
kue
-puhree. Plover eggs. After British plant collector Thomas Cooper (1815–1913), who introduced many species from S Africa.

cristatus
(Haw.) Lem. kris-
tah
-toos. Lat. crested (the foliage).

maculatus
(Salm-Dyck) Lem. makew-
lah
-toos. Lat. spotted (the leaves).

Aechmea
Ruiz & Pav. (Bromeliaceae). eek-
mee
-uh. From Gk. pointed, referring to the sharp-pointed sepals and bracts. 180 spp. herbs. Trop. Am.

fasciata
(Lindl.) Baker. fas-ee-
ah
-tuh. Lat. striped (the leaves). Brazil.

fulgens
Brongn.
fool
-genz. Lat. shining (the bracts). Brazil.

miniata
(Beer) Baker. min-ee-
ah
-tuh. Lat. coloured with red (the bracts). Brazil.

Aegopodium
L. (Apiaceae). ee-goh-
poh
-dee-oom. From Gk. a goat’s foot, referring to the leaf shape. 7 spp. herbs. Eur., Asia.

podagraria
L. pod-uh-
grair
-ree-uh. Goutweed, ground elder. Gk. foot pain (it was considered a remedy for gout). Eur.

Aeonium
(L.) Webb & Berth. (Crassulaceae). ie-
oh
-nee-oom. From Gk. eternal (they appear to live for ever). 35 spp. succulents. Canary Is., Madeira, N Africa.

arboreum
(L.) Webb & Berth. ar-
bor
-ree-oom. Lat. tree-like. Canary Is.

balsamiferum
Webb & Berth. balsuhm-
i
-fe-room. Lat. bearing balsam (it is balsam-scented). Canary Is.

haworthii
Salm-Dyck ex Webb & Berth. ha-
wurth
-ee-ee. After English botanist and entomologist Adrian Hardy Haworth (1767–1833). Canary Is.

tabuliforme
(Haw.) Webb & Berth. tab-ew-li-
form
-ee. Lat. table-shaped (the flat-topped rosettes). Canary Is.

undulatum
Webb & Berth. un-dew-
lah
-toom. Lat. wavy (the leaves). Canary Is.

Aesculus
L. (Sapindaceae).
ees
-kewloos. Buckeyes, horse chestnuts. Lat. name for an oak (
Quercus
) with edible acorns. 12 spp., trees, shrubs. N Am., SE Eur., E Asia.

californica
(Spach) Nutt. kal-i-
for
-nikuh. California buckeye. Of California. Calif.

×
carnea
Hayne.
kar
-nee-uh. Red horse chestnut. Lat. flesh-pink (the flowers).
A. hippocastanum
×
A. pavia
. Cult.

flava
Sol.
flah
-vuh. Yellow buckeye. Lat. yellow (the flowers). SE USA.

glabra
Willd.
glab
-ruh. Ohio buckeye. Lat. glabrous (the leaves). E USA.

hippocastanum
L. hip-oh-kas-
tah
-num. Horse chestnut. Gk. horse chestnut. Balkans.
‘Baumannii’
. bow-
man
-ee-ee. After A. N. Baumann, who found the original sport in 1820 in a garden near Geneva.

indica
(Wall. ex Cambess.) Hook.
in
-di-kuh. Indian horse chestnut. Lat. of India. Himal.

×
mutabilis
(Spach) Schelle. mew-
tab
-i-lis. Lat. changing (the flower colour).
A. pavia
×
A. sylvatica
. Cult.

×
neglecta
Lindl. neg-
lek
-tuh. Lat. neglected, overlooked.
A. flava
×
A. sylvatica
. SE USA.
‘Erythroblastos’
. e-rith-roh-
blast
-os. Gk. red, bud or sprout (young growth is pink).

octandra
Marshall =
A. flava

pavia
L.
pah
-vee-uh. Red buckeye. After Dutch surgeon and botanist Peter Paaw (Lat.
Pavius
) (1564–1617). SE USA.
‘Atrosanguinea’
. at-roh-san-
gwin
-ee-uh. Lat. dark red (the flowers).

Aethionema
R. Br. (Brassicaceae). ee-thee-oh-
nee
-muh. Gk. unusual, thread, referring to the appearance of the filaments. 40 spp., herbs, sub-shrubs. Eur., SW Asia.

grandiflorum
Boiss. & Hohen. grandi-
flaw
-room. Lat. large-flowered. Caucasus, SW Asia.

African violet
Saintpaulia ionantha

Agapanthus
L’Hér. (Amaryllidaceae). a-guh-
panth
-oos. Gk. love flower. 10 spp. herbs. S Africa.

africanus
(L.) Hoffmanns. af-ri-
kah
-noos. African.

campanulatus
F. M. Leight. kam-panew-
lah
-toos. Lat. bell-shaped (the flowers). subsp.
patens
(F. M. Leight.) F. M. Leight.
pay
-tuhnz. Lat. spreading widely (the perianth lobes).

caulescens
Spreng. kawl-
es
-uhnz. Lat. developing a stem.

inapertus
Beauverd. in-uh-
purt
-oos. Lat. not open (the flowers are narrow-mouthed). subsp.
pendulus
(L. Bolus) F. M. Leight.
pen
-dewloos. Lat. pendulous (the flowers).

praecox
Willd.
prie
-kox. Lat. early (the flowers). subsp.
minimus
(Lindl.) F M. Leight.
min
-i-moos. Lat. smallest. subsp.
orientalis
(F. M. Leight.) F. M. Leight. o-ree-en-
tah
-lis. Lat. eastern.

Agarista
D. Don ex G. Don (Ericaceae). ag-uh-
rist
-uh. After Agarista of Gk. myth., the beautiful daughter of Cleisthenes, referring to the attractive flowers. 31 spp., trees, shrubs. SE USA to S Am., Africa.

populifolia
(Lam.) Judd. pop-ew-li-
foh
-lee-uh. Florida hobblebush. Lat. with leaves like
Populus
. SE USA.

Agastache
Clayton ex Gronov. (Lamiaceae). uh-
ga
-stuh-kee. From Gk. admirable spikes, referring to the flowers. 20 spp. herbs. N Am., E Asia.

aurantiaca
(A. Gray) Lint & Epling. aw-rant-ee-
ah
-kuh. Lat. orange (the flowers). Mex.

cana
(Hook.) Wooton & Standl.
kah
-nuh. Mosquito plant. Lat. grey (the foliage). S USA.

foeniculum
(Pursh) Kuntze. fee-
nik
-ew-loom. Giant blue hyssop. Like
Foeniculum
, fennel (the scent). N Am.

mexicana
(Kunth) Lint & Epling. mex-i-
kah
-nuh. Of Mexico. Mex.

nepetoides
(L.) Kuntze. ne-pe-
toy
-deez. Yellow giant hyssop. Like
Nepeta
. E N Am.

pallidiflora
(A. Heller) Rydb. pa-li-di-
flaw
-ruh. Lat. with pale flowers. SW USA.

rugosa
(Fisch. & C. A. Mey.) Kuntze. rue-
goh
-suh. Lat. rugose (the leaves). E Asia.

rupestris
(Greene) Standl. rue-
pes
-tris. Lat. growing on rocks. SW USA, N Mex.

scrophulariifolia
(Willd.) Kuntze. skrof-ew-lah-ree-i-
foh
-lee-uh. Purple giant hyssop. Lat. with leaves like
Scrophularia
. E N Am.