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Botanical latin names

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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:

--- Quote from: Maggi Young on August 29, 2014, 03:15:43 PM ---Stearn's "Botanical Latin" is indeed the best known and I suspect, most used book on this subject.

--- End quote ---

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:

--- Quote from: Maggi Young on August 29, 2014, 03:15:43 PM ---

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

--- End quote ---

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.

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