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Last Updated: Nov 14, 2008 - 12:49:26 PM |
A while back when a fellow gardener called to ask the significance of Latin names of plants, I found myself fumbling for a proper answer despite the fact that botany was my major in college. Evidently, associating plants with their Latin names has become somewhat of a second nature to me, and therefore I cannot easily relate the usage of classroom knowledge to everyday gardening where common names are easy to work with and communicate.
Nonetheless, while often long and hard to pronounce, Latin names provide the plant world with a universal identification system, a language not lost in translation.
For those not all that familiar, Latin names of plants are made up of two main parts: a genus and a species, the genus being the first part, and the species the second. Furthermore, though Latin names do not always indicate the characteristics of a plant, some distinctly do, making plant nomenclature an interesting subject, even funny at times. For instance, the desert rose, Adenium obesum, grown as a houseplant around here, tends to be – as the name implies – on the obese side, because the stem of the tropical succulent is swollen at the base. But, while the swollen stems make the plants look a little pudgy, in all fairness, do give them a unique look.
Likewise, plants having ‘alba’ as the specific name bear white flowers, ‘roseus’ rosy pink, ‘foetidus’ stinking foliage or flowers, and ‘erectus’ meaning upright growth habit, familiarizing the gardener with a plant’s interesting attributes. Speaking of which, since the flowers of this fragrant jasmine bloom at night, the plant dare not go by any name other than Cestrum nocturnum, where the species assures us of the nocturnal habit of the plant.
Looking for a plant that bears edible fruits? Then Passiflora edulis, the edible passion fruit vine is the one for you; the bashful ones, on the hand, might consider staying away from Dracunculus vulgaris, commonly known as dragon arum, a plant with rather indecent-looking flowers. Interestingly, some names such as Camellia japonica indicate the place of origin of the plant which in this case is Japan, China, and Korea.
Latin names, therefore, not only distinguish one plant from the other, but reveal some distinctive features as well; so, when shopping for a Daphne, the popular evergreen shrub and want to be certain that the flowers will smell sweet, look for none other than the one called Daphne odora.
Gita’s Tip of the Month: Now that the night temperatures are turning to be on the cool side, get ready to bring inside the houseplants that were kept outdoors during summer. However, before doing so, check for insects, pests, or diseases of any kind, and do give them a good rinse to get rid of unwanted creatures or grime.
gitaagrawal@juno.com
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