Easy enough, right?  Not so fast.

The other parts of the lesson included researching specific epithets, listing each and its meaning, then identifying a botanical name using each chosen epithet to describe a characteristic of the plant  - think rugosa (meaning wrinkled) as in Rosa rugosa, a rose with wrinkled leaves – advised the lesson's example.  But, the lesson required forgetting about epithets that signify the discoverer of the plant or its country of origin - like Myrica pennsylvanica (Northern bayberry).  Much too easy.

Many epithets and their definitions came with the lesson materials, so those seeking an easier way to complete the lesson could just work off the list when finding actual plants that use those epithets.  Epithets like album (white), nigra (black), elatus (tall), and glaucus (grey or blue-grey leaves or blooms) were all included, as were officinalis (used medicinally).  So were I to take the road easiest traveled, I could have easily forged onward with a list that only included things like my numerous varieties of sage which all fall under the Salvia officinalis botanical name.

But I like a challenge, so I sought out epithets not included on the list.  Did you know alnifolia, as in my Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet) pictured at the right means having leaves like an alder? I didn't.

How 'bout the meaning of eurybracteata, as in the golden-flowered Mahonia eurybracteata?  It comes from eu, meaning well, properly; and bracteata, meaning gold-leaf.

The tulipifera part of Liriodendron tulipifera means tulip or turban bearing.

Papyrifera, as in Betula papyrifera, means – you guessed it – paper, which describes the paper-like bark of the birch tree.

On the other hand – or would that be the other leaf? - saccharum, (sugar), helps describe the sugar maple (botanical name Acer saccharum).

However, in the 40 or so names required for this assignment I did end up with two favorites:

· Heterolepsis from heteros (different) and lepsis (scale, shell).  The grass, Sporobolus heterolepsis, has leaves that turn a golden color and fragrant flowers (setting it off – different or hetero -  from other grasses) and seed heads resembling tiny shells – lepsis.  I want to grow this grass!

· Glyptostroboides from glyptostrob (sculptured, carved) and oides (like, resembles). Can one argue that Metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood) is sculptured in shape?

My research was definitely aided by two websites,  Dictionary of Botanical Epithets and Words by William Whitaker, both of which are now  permanently bookmarked on my Internet Explorer Favorites list.  And, as always, I use Fine Gardening's pronunciation guide to botanical Latin when I find my tongue too tied to figure out pronunciation without a little guidance.

If you are interested in doing some independent online research of your own, try these sites … could be a fun way to pass a snowy winter weekend day.  Imagine cuddling in front of a fireplace – preferably one containing a warm, crackling fire – sipping a cup of cocoa, or maybe a glass of red wine, and nibbling  a chunk of Asiago cheese and a few good crackers while you thumb through a stack of plant and seed catalogues making your 'want' list.  Just think how you could wow your friends or enhance your crossword puzzle knowledge if you took the extra steps to jot down the botanical names and head for your computer for a little stretch the brain exercise.  Why you could become a veritable plant guru … or, more likely, you're just another plant nut like me.

Related posts:
Embarking on a new journey
Missed Opportunity – A Gardening Oops (Goops)
Gardening Oops – GOOPs - Day
Stars aligned to bring fall pleasures
A Veggie-wrap, please.

Categories: Gardening, Training.
Tags: Anna Gresham Landscape Design School, botanical names, Dictionary of Boranical Epithets, epithets, Fine Gardening, Words by William Whitaker.