Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist, zoologist & physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming organisms
Handy reference for finding out what scientific plant names mean, via The Seed Site
The Seed Site has a great list of the meaning of Latin plant names. I’m putting the list here as well, in case the original site ever goes offline.
- abyssinica = from Abysinnia (Ethiopia) (North Africa)
- acaulis = stemless
- aestivalis = flowering in spring
- alba = white
- alpestris = from mountains
- alpicola = from mountains
- alpina = from the alps
- altissima = tallest
- america = from America
- angustifolia = narrow-leaved
- annua = annual
- -antha = -flowered (e.g. micrantha = small-flowered)
- arboricola = living on trees
- arctica = from the arctic
- arenaria = from sandy places
- argentea = silvery
- armata = prickly
- arvensis = of the field
- aurantiaca = orange
- aurea = golden, yellow
- australis = from the south (not necessarily Australia)
- autumnalis = of autumn
- azurea = blue
- barbata = bearded, hairy
- bellidifolia = with leaves like those of a daisy
- borealis = from the north
- bulbifera = bearing bulbs
- bulgarica = from Bulgaria
- caerulea = blue
- caespitosa = dense
- campanulata = campanulate, like a bell
- campestris = of the field
- canadensis = from Canada
- canariensis = from the Canary Isles
- capensis = from the Cape, South Africa
- chilensis = from Chile
- chinensis = from China
- chrysantha = yellow
- clivora = from the hills
- coccinea = red
- compacta = compact
- decidua = deciduous
- densiflora = dense-flowered
- digitata = (leaves) like a hand, with five lobes
- edulis = edible
- esculenta = edible
- farinosa = floury, powdery
- ficifolia = like a fig leaf
- flava = yellow
- -flora = -flowered (e.g. viridiflora = green-flowered)
- flore plena = with double flowers
- florida = floriferous
- foetida = with an unpleasant smell
- -folia = -leaved (e.g. tenuifolia = narrow-leaved)
- foliosa = leafy
- fruticosa = shrubby
- gigantea = giant
- glabra = smooth
- glacialis = from cold areas
- glutinosa = sticky
- graeca = from Greece
- graminifolia = with grassy leaves
- grandiflora = large-flowered
- grandis = big
- helvetica = from Switzerland
- hirsuta = hairy
- hispida = bristly
- humilis = short
- hyemalis = of winter
- incana = grey
- inodora = unscented
- integrifolia = entire, undivided (leaves)
- japonica = from Japan
- lanata = woolly
- lanceolata = lance-shaped (leaves)
- latifolia = wide-leaved
- longiflora = with long flowers
- longifolia = with long leaves
- lutea = yellow
- macrantha = large flowered
- macro- = large- (e.g. macrorhiza = large-rooted)
- macrocarpa = large-fruited
- macrophylla = with large leaves
- macrorrhiza = with large roots
- maculata = spotted
- magellanica = from the south of South America
- magenta = magenta
- magna = big
- majus = bigger
- maritima = maritime, near the sea
- maxima = biggest
- mexicana = from Mexico
- micrantha = small flowered
- microphylla = with small leaves
- millefolia = with many (thousands of) leaves
- minima = small
- minor = smaller
- montana = from mountains
- multiflora = many flowered
- muralis = growing on walls
- nana = small
- nocturna = nocturnal
- ochroleuca = cream
- odorata = perfumed
- officinalis = with herbal uses
- ovalifolia = with oval leaves
- pallida = cream
- palustris = from marshes
- parvi- = small- (e.g. parivflora = small-flowered)
- parviflora = small flowered
- parvifolia = with small leaves
- pauci- = few- (e.g. pauciflora =few-flowered)
- pauciflora = few-flowered
- paucifolia = with few leaves
- pendula = hanging
- perennis = perennial
- phoenicea = purple
- -phylla = -leaved (e.g. macrophylla = large-leaved)
- pinnata = with pinnate leaves
- poly- = many (e.g polyantha = many-flowered)
- polyphylla = with many leaves, leafy
- praecox = early, of spring
- pratensis = field
- procumbens = creeping
- prostrata = prostrate
- pulverulenta = dusty
- pumila = small
- punica = red
- purpurea = deep pink
- pygmaea = small
- quercifolia = oak=leaved
- rediviva = perennial
- rivalis = from near rivers
- rivularis = from near rivers
- rosea = rose pink
- rotundifolia = round-leaved
- rubra = red
- rupestris = of hills
- rupicola = of hills
- russica = from Russia
- sanguinea = blood-red
- sativa = cultivated
- saxatilis = of rocks
- scaber = climbing
- scandens = climbing
- semperviva = perennial
- sibirica = from Siberia
- sinense = from China
- somnifera = inducing sleep
- spicata = spiked
- spinosa = spiny
- stellata = starry
- sulphurea = yellow
- sylvestris = of woods
- tenuifolia = with thin, narrow leaves
- texensis = from Texas
- tomentosa = tomentose, woolly
- trifoliata = trifoliate, with three-lobed leaves
- umbellata = unbellate, with flowers in an umbel
- velutina = velvety
- vernalis = of spring
- villosa = hairy
- violacea = violet
- viridis = green
- viscosa = sticky
- vitifolia = with leaves like a vine
- volubilis = twining
- vulgaris = common