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NEIGHBORHOOD GARDEN FOR JUNE 20, 2015
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UNDERSTANDING LATIN NAMES FOR PLANTS PART
#3
BY GEORGE EDGAR
Last week I shared the meaning of some
common Latin Words. Today I want to share the meaning of more Latin
words that can help you know more about your plants, trees, and shrubs.
This list was prepared by Dr. Cindy Haynes, Department of Horticulture,
and Iowa State University and reprinted by permission
from “Horticulture and Home Pest News”, Iowa State University, July 23, 1999.
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Origins or Habitat
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alpinus
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Alpine
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amur
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Amur River - Asia
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canadensis
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Canada
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chinensis
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China
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japonica
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Japan
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maritima
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Sea side
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montana
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Mountains
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occidentalis
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West - North America
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orientalis
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East - Asia
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sibirica
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Siberia
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sylvestris
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Woodland
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virginiana
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Virginia
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Form or Habit
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contorta
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Twisted
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globosa
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Rounded
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gracilis
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Graceful
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maculata
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Spotted
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magnus
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Large
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nana
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Dwarf
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pendula
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Weeping
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prostrata
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Creeping
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reptans
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Creeping
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Common Root Words
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anthos
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Flower
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brevi
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Short
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fili
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Threadlike
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flora
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Flower
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folius
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Foliage
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grandi
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Large
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hetero
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Diverse
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laevis
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Smooth
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lepto
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Slender
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macro
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Large
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medio
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Intermediate
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mega
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Big
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micro
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Small
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mono
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Single
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multi
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Many
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phyllos
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Leaf/Foliage
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platy
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Flat/Broad
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poly
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Many
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For more information see:
Dictionary of
Plant Names: The pronunciation, derivation,
and meaning of botanical names and their common-name
equivalents by Allen J. Coombes, Timber Press, Inc.
Gardener's
Latin by
Bill
Neal, Algonquin Books.
How Plants Get
Their Names by L.H.
Bailey, Dover
Publications.
Copyright 2015
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