How to learn plant latin names (binomial)?

17 years ago

Hi;

I need to start learning the Latin names of plants (the binomial system) for several classes in landscape design I will be taking over the coming years.

I would like a book that proposes several techniques, and perhaps provides exercise. Also a book that actually explains some of the more obvious structure underneath the system would be nice too.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

~CloneZero

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Comments (6)

frances_md
17 years ago
Stearn's Dictionary of Plant Names for Gardeners might be helpful to you. It gives the Latin words with their meaning and usually some further explanation. Are you also taking plant materials classes? That is where I learned the Latin names along with plant identification. Those plant materials classes were wonderful.
Chris_in_the_Valley
17 years ago
Don't have a suggestion, just encouragement. I spent three years looking for False Dragonhead which sounded perfect for my garden, only to discover that around here it is called Obedient plant and was already doing splendidly in my garden. Physostegia virginiana would have been so much easier in the long run.
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Ha ha Marcia =:) Yes, a person needs something to keep their mind from going wonky in the brutal winters. Maybe some of the books I'll get and the websites I read, will teach me a few things about the Latin names. Good suggestion Luckygal. I should pay more attention to the Latin names when I plant something, and write it down with my notes. Hey, Acer I know goes with Maples, as we have two Amur Maple trees that I love. Actually, on occasion I've thought of an online Horticultural class, and they seem to suggest learning the Latin names before some of the other stuff. Hmmm. Sometimes I have a hard enough time remembering the common names. Also, for example, I know I have 2 or 3 different types of lilies but I don't know what they're called or what they are. The tags are in the ground beside them.......all I know is that they're really pretty LOL. How utterly sad is that? Tags I haven't even bothered to read =:D
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When I started out gardening, I bought books. A few very interesting and helpful English ones - look for Christopher Lloyd and Vita Sackville-West. I would also recommend Cassandra Danz - learning all that stuff is difficult enough, why not having a bit of fun while at it? Secondly, sit and think. What do you want - as opposed to 'what does everybody else do'. Do you want an ocean of flowers and fragrance, do you want edibles, do you want low maintenance, do you want an evening garden or a morning garden, is *your* time of the year spring or fall... While you're wondering and reading, ammend the soil: compost, mulch and green manure every inch you can see with the unarmed eye. You have all the time in the world, and a year of doing nothing but reading, ammending the soil and thinking will get you *your dream garden* actually earlier than stuffing some plants into some earth and wondering why they die instantly. The fora at the gardenweb are an incredible source of know-how and compassion - you can find out a lot about almost everything, and sometimes all the questions that you might have are already discussed in depth and your growing zone. Lastly a plea: since you have to learn a lot anyhow, learn the correct things: plants have botanical names, and these are the correct names. Do not, please, neverever, use common names - because common names are neither common nor correct... finding out about the needs of a special plant if all you know is some name that nobody else ever heard is a time consuming and frustrating way to kill a plant. Besides that, botanical names are world-wide and language-independent - so you can read about gardens all over the world and know what plants they are talking about :) Good luck!
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clonezero
Original Author
17 years ago
Hi thanks;

@frances_md: Yes those plant materials classes are coming, but I really need a helpful primmer now so I can catch up to the botany majors whom I am in class with. I know some but I need something more comprehensive to work with so my familarity grows.

@Chris_... Yes I know what you mean looking for somethig you already have. Don't worry there are many other plans to find. ;-)

Any other suggestion still welcome.

Thanks,

Eric
ginny12
17 years ago
William T. Stearn's "Botanical Latin" is the bible of this subject but may be more than you want or need for your purposes.

If you go to Amazon and search "botanical Latin", you'll see a number of helpful books on scientific plant names and common names. Then you could get them from the library to familiarize yourself with the logic behind scientific plant names. It's not so hard once you get the idea that many of these names are quite descriptive.

I don't know of any such book as you describe--a workbook for learning the names. It sounds like a great idea and somone should write one, which doesn't help you now.

The best solution is to get some of the botanical Latin books aimed at gardeners and read them to understand what certain word parts mean and they often reappear in different names--such as -folia or -viridissima. Then I'd suggest you make flash cards for yourself with botanical names, common names, and photos which you can print form the internet. Flash cards are an old-fashioned but very useful learning aid--and quite portable.
laceyvail 6A, WV
17 years ago
And I'd suggest not to be intimidated. You alread know some of the genera names--Rosa, Rhododendron, Iris, Viola, Chrysanthemum, Pinus, etc. They're just words.
clonezero
Original Author
17 years ago
I found a little volume "A Gardener's LATIN" by Richard Bird. It is not quite what I wanted but it is a good start. I am going to look for Linnaeus original work too, never hurts to take a gander at the original text.

~c0

How to learn plant latin names (binomial)?

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How to learn plant latin names (binomial)?

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