Botanical latin names

[ian mcdonald]

Does anyone know of a good book explaining what the latin botanical names of our native plants mean. I have been asked to recommend a book but have not come across a useful one. There is one by Stearn but I have not seen it and wonder how relevant it is in the UK.

[Maggi Young]

Stearn's "Botanical Latin" is indeed the best known and I suspect, most used book on this subject.

There are some handy online sources too - starting with the  Univ. of Missouri search pages : http://www.mobot.org/mobot/LatinDict/search.aspx

next is one  compiled by forumist Jim Shields to help with plant  biology terms : http://www.shieldsgardens.com/info/Glossary.html

A brief guide to terms in this article :Botanical Nomenclature Guide: The Meaning Of Latin Plant Names   http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/latin-plant-names.htm?utm_source=ReviveOldPost

http://davesgarden.com/guides/botanary/  is another online search facility


A couple of other books :

The A to Z of Plant Names: A Quick Reference Guide to 4000 Garden Plants
By Allen J. Coombes       ISBN-10: 1604691964     ISBN-13: 9781604691962
Timber Press     Product code: 689196
http://www.timberpress.com/books/z_plant_names/coombes/9781604691962


Latin for Gardeners
Over 3,000 Plant Names Explained and Explored
By Lorraine Harrison Published 2012
 ISBN-13: 978-0-226-00919-3
http://www.press.uchicago.edu/pressReleases/2012/October/1210harrisonprs.html


There's another little pocket book whose name escapes me meantime......

Hope this may be of use so far

[Gerry Webster]

Stearn's "Botanical Latin" is indeed the best known and I suspect, most used book on this subject.

There is another by Stearn, also excellent -

Stearn's Dictionary of Plant Names for Gardeners, (Cassell, 1994)

[Hans J]

this helps me often :

http://www.winternet.com/~chuckg/dictionary.html

Hans

[johnralphcarpenter]

There's another little pocket book whose name escapes me meantime......

Possibly "Plant Names Simplified" by Johnson and Smith, ISBN: 900513 04 7, first published by Landsmans Bookshop Ltd in 1931 and reprinted many times since.

[Maggi Young]

In case anyone wants to know about  bird names in latin......

Latin for Bird Lovers
by Roger Lederer (Author), Carol Burr (Author)
Publisher: Timber Press (May 6, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1604695463
ISBN-13: 978-1604695465

[Jupiter]

I use dave's garden plant files and haven't found anything better

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/

Search for a plant and then click the info link after the pronunciation guide (which I don't always agree with, but that's another story) after the name.

For example:

Anigozanthos
Meaning: From the Greek anises (unequal) and anthos (flower); referring to the division of the floral tube into six unequal parts
Pronunciation: an-ih-go-ZAN-thos

[vivienne Condon]

I use A Dictionary of the Flowering Plants and Ferns by J C Willis. Cambridge University Press. Abe books has it for sale for about 10.00 dollars American plus postage.

[Maggi Young]

That's a good suggestion, Vivienne - into it's "umpteenth" edition now since it was first published , it's a staple - which I'm ashamed to say I don't own - will remedy that!