Species Epithets - A

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Epithet	Meaning	Reference
abietinum	Fir-tree like (Abies, fir-tree).	Z
abramsii	Presumably after an Abrams ?
absinthium	Wormwood.	Z
abyssinica	from Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
acanthium	A spine, a thorn, a prickle.	Z
acaule	Without stalks, or seemingly so.	Z
acaulis	Without stalks, or seemingly so.	Z
accrescens	Increasing, improving, spreading, as to calyx after flowering.	Z
acer	Sharp, rough, biting, pointed (also Maple).	Z
acetosa	Slightly acid.	Z
acetosella	"Acid salts". Refers to oxalic acid found in the leaves.
acinaciformis	Sword-shaped (two-edged).	Z
acinos	Clinopodium acinos has been re-assigned from Acinos arvensis so the previous genus name has become the epithet.
acinosa	Full of pips, kernels.	Z
aconitifolius	With leaves like the Monkshood, Aconitum.	Z
acre	Biting or sharp (taste).
acris	Biting or sharp (taste).
aculeata	With thorns, prickly and pointed.	Z
aculeatum	With thorns, prickly and pointed.	Z
aculeatus	With thorns, prickly and pointed.	Z
acuminata	Long pointed.	Z
acuminatum	Long pointed.	Z
acuminatus	Long pointed.	Z
acuta	Pointed, tapering to a point.	Z
acutiflorus	With pointed flowers.	Z
acutifolius	With pointed leaves.	Z
acutiloba	With pointed lobes.	Z
acutilobus	With pointed lobes.	Z
acutum	Pointed, tapering to a point.	Z
acutus	Pointed, tapering to a point.	Z
adiantum-nigrum	(Like Maidenhair fern - Adiantum, with black scales)
adscendens	Rising upwards.	Z
adhaerens	Adhering, attached, attaching itself.	Z
adpressus	Pressed against, pressed on.	Z
adspersus	Besprinkled, bespattered.	Z
advena	Alien, strange.	Z
aegyptiaca	Of Egyptian origin.	Z
aegyptiacum	Of Egyptian origin.	Z
aegyptius	Of Egyptian origin.	Z
aemula	Similar.	Z
aequalis	Uniform, similar in size.	Z
aequilobum	With equal lobes.	Z
aeruginea	Verdigris coloured.	Z
aestivalis	Flowering in summer.	Z
aestivum	Flowering in summer.	Z
aethiopica	Of Ethiopian origin.	Z
aethiopicus	Of Ethiopian origin.	Z
aethiopis	From Ethiopia.	Z
aetnensis	Growing on Mount Etna.	Z
affine	Similar, related, of near alliance.	Z
affinis	Similar, related, of near alliance.	Z
afra	Of African origin.	Z
africana	Of African origin.	Z
africanus	Of African origin.	Z
ageratoides	Resembling floss-flower, Ageratum.	Z
agg.	An aggregate of several species that are not easy to distinguish except by a specialist.
aggregata	Bunched, crowded, in dense clusters.	Z
aggregatum	Bunched, crowded, in dense clusters.	Z
agrestis	Growing on arable land.	Z
agrimonioides	Resembling Agrimony, Agrimonia.	Z
airoides	Resembling Hair-grass, Aira.	Z
aizoides	Resembling Aizoon.	Z
aizoon	Ever living, ever green.	Z
alata	Winged, with wings.	Z
alatum	Winged, with wings.	Z
alba	Dead white, without lustre.	Z
albescens	Shading into white, turning white, becoming white.	Z
albicans	With a whitish shading, tending to white.	Z
albicaulis	With white stalks.	Z
albida	Albineus, nearly white, whitish.	Z
albidum	Albineus, nearly white, whitish.	Z
albidus	Albineus, nearly white, whitish.	Z
albiflorus	With white bloom.	Z
album	Dead white, without lustre.	Z
albus	Dead white, without lustre.	Z
alcea	From Greek for "to cure" but this, as an epithet, refers to the genus Alcea, so "like a Hollyhock".
alectorolophus	Like a cock's comb.
aleppicum	From Aleppo in Syria.	Z
alexandrinum	From Alexandria in Egypt.	Z
algeriensis	From Algiers in North Africa.	Z
alliaceum	Garlic-like, Allium.	Z
alnus	Like Alder, Alnus.	Z
aloides	Resembling Aloe.	Z
alopecuroides	Resembling fox's brush, Alopecurus.	Z
alpestre	Found in the lower Alps.	Z
alpestris	Found in the lower Alps.	Z
alpigena	Found in the lower Alps.	Z
alpina	Belonging to the Alps.	Z
alpinum	Belonging to the Alps.	Z
alpinus	Belonging to the Alps.	Z
alsine	Like the genus, Alsine (now Minuartia ?). Sandworts.
alsinifolium	With leaves like the genus, Alsine (now Minuartia ?). Sandworts.
alternifolium	With alternating leaves.
althaeoides	Resembling Hollyhock, Althaea.	Z
altissima	Very high (referring to altitude), (altus, high).	Z
altissimum	Very high (referring to altitude), (altus, high).	Z
altissimus	Very high (referring to altitude), (altus, high).	Z
amabile	Lovely.	Z
amabilis	Lovely.	Z
amarella	Slightly bitter.	Z
ambigua	Doubtful, uncertain, applied to the perianth of Nymphaea.	Z
ambiguus	Doubtful, uncertain, applied to the perianth of Nymphaea.	Z
ambrosioides	Ambrosia-like.	Z
americana	From America.	Z
americanum	From America.	Z
americanus	From America.	Z
amethystinum	The colour of amethyst, bluish-mauve.	Z
ammophila	Sand-loving.	Z
amoena	Pleasing, lovely.	Z
amoenus	Pleasing, lovely.	Z
amomum	Yielding balsam.	DBE
amphibia	Amphibious, growing both in and out of water.
ampla	Ample, spacious, broad.	Z
amplexicaule	Stem-clasping, when the petiole leaf is dilated at base and embraces the stem.	Z
amplexicaulis	Stem-clasping, when the petiole leaf is dilated at base and embraces the stem.	Z
ampliatum	Widened, enlarged.	Z
amplum	Ample, spacious, broad.	Z
amurensis	From Amur, Siberia.	Z
amygdaloides	Almond like, Amygdalus.	Z
anagyroides	Like Anagyris, a southern European genus of leguminous shrubs.
anceps	Two edged, flattened or compressed.	Z
ancyrensis	From Ankara, Turkey.	DBE
andegavensis	From Angers or Ajou, France.	Z
androsaceus	Of the type of Rock-jasmine, Androsace.	Z
androsaemum	Literally "human blood", referring to the sap.
anglica	Of English origin.	Z
anglicum	Of English origin.	Z
anguinum	Eel or snakelike in form.	Z
angulare	Having corners.	Z
angulata	Having corners.	Z
angulatum	Having corners.	Z
angulatus	Having corners.	Z
angusta	Narrow.	Z
angustatum	Tapered, getting narrower.	Z
angustifolia	With narrow leaves.
angustifolium	With narrow leaves.
angustifolius	With narrow leaves.	Z
angustissima	Very narrow.	Z
angustissimus	Very narrow.	Z
annotinum	Yearly, annual, lasting a year, within a year.	Z
annua	Yearly, annual, lasting a year, within a year.	Z
annulata	Ringed, ring like.	Z
annuum	Yearly, annual, lasting a year, within a year.	Z
annuus	Yearly, annual, lasting a year, within a year.	Z
anomala	Irregular, deviating from-the rule.	Z
anserina	Meadow-loving (loved by geese).	Z
antarctica	Southern, from the Antarctic regions.	Z
antarcticum	Southern, from the Antarctic regions.	Z
antarcticus	Southern, from the Antarctic regions.	Z
anthemoides	Resembling wild camomile, Anthemis.	Z
aparine	Bedstraw (holding on, clinging).	Z
apennina	From the Apennine Mountains.	Z
apenninum	From the Apennine Mountains.	Z
apetala	Bearing flowers without petals, wanting a corolla (as in Clematis).	Z
aphaca	From Aphaca in modern Syria.
aphyllum	Devoid of leaves.	Z
With pointed ends, of leaves.	Z
apiculatum	With pointed ends, of leaves.	Z
apiculatus	With pointed ends, of leaves.	Z
apifera	Bee-shaped, bee-like, or bearing bee-shaped flowers.	Z
apiifolia	Parsley or celery leaved
appressa	Lying flat, touching at the side, pressed together (of organs).	Z
approximata	Drawn close together but not united.	Z
apulum	From Apulia in Southern Italy.	Z
aquatica	Living in water.	Z
aquaticum	Living in water.	Z
aquaticus	Living in water.	Z
aquatilis	Swimming, floating in water.	Z
aquifolium	With leaves like holly, which in the case of Ilex aquifolium becomes a rather circular definition.
aquilegiifolium	With leaves like Aquilegia
aquilinum	Eagle-like.	Z
arabica	Of Arabian origin.	Z
arabicum	Of Arabian origin.	Z
arabicus	Of Arabian origin.	Z
arachnoideum	Covered with spiders web.	Z
araucana	From Arauko, a province in Chile.	Z
arborea	Like a tree.	Z
arborescens	Arboreus, like a tree.	Z
arbuscula	A small tree, as some heather.	Z
archangelica	"Archangel"
arctica	Arctic, from the northern polar regions.	Z
arcticus	Arctic, from the northern polar regions.	Z
arcuata	Arched, bent like a bow.	Z
arduennensis	From the forest of Ardennes.	Z
arenaria	Growing in sand.
arenarium	Growing in sand.
arenarius	Sand loving, growing in sandy places.	Z
arenastrum	"of sandy places" ?
arenicola	Growing on sand hills.	Z
arenosa	Sandy.	Z
argentatum	Silvered.	Z
argentatus	Silvered.	Z
argentea	Silvery, of silvery tint and lustre.	Z
argenteum	Silvery, of silvery tint and lustre.	Z
argophyllus	With white, silvery leaves.	Z
arguta	Fine pointed, sharp toothed serrated.	Z
argutifolius	With sharp (toothed) leaves. "Argutus" in Latin can have a range of meanings all related to the senses. Could also apply to rustling leaves ?
argutum	Fine pointed, sharp toothed serrated.	Z
argyreum	Silvery.
aria	In Sorbus aria this refers to the sub-genus, Aria of which this is the most common member.
arietinum	Ramshorn like, horned.	Z
aristata	Bearded awns like the ear of barley.	Z
aristatum	Bearded awns like the ear of barley.	Z
armeniaca	Of Armenian origin.	Z
armeniacum	Of Armenian origin.	Z
armeniacus	Of Armenian origin.	Z
armeria	Like Armeria, Thrift.
armipotens	Strongly armed.	Z
aromaticum	Spicy, aromatic.	Z
arrhiza	Rootless, wanting true roots.	Z
artemisiifolia	With leaves like Wormwood, Southernwood, Artemisia.	Z
artemisioides	Artemisia like.	Z
articulata	Jointed; separating freely as in leaf fall.	Z
articulatus	Jointed; separating freely as in leaf fall.	Z
arundinacea	Rush or reed like; having a culm like tall grasses.	Z
arundinaceum	Rush or reed like; having a culm like tall grasses.	Z
arvense	Growing in fields.	Z
arvensis	Growing in fields.	Z
ascendens	Rising upwards.	Z
asclepiadea	Resembling Swallow-wort, etc., Asclepias.	Z
asiaticum	Of Asiatic origin.	Z
asper	Rough, sharp to the touch.	Z
aspera	Rough, sharp to the touch.	Z
asperata	Rough with hairs or points.	Z
asperum	Rough, sharp to the touch.	Z
asplenioides	Resembling Spleen-wort, Asplenium.	Z
athamanticum	Resembling Bald-money or Spignel, Meum.	Z
atlantica	From the Atlas Mountains in North Africa.	Z
atlanticum	From the Atlas Mountains in North Africa.	Z
atramentarius	Inky.
atrata	Blackened, darkened, as the apex of glumes.	Z
atratum	Blackened, darkened, as the apex of glumes.	Z
atrorubens	Dark red.	Z
attenuatum	Thinned, tapered, shortened.	Z
aucuparia	Attracting birds.
aurantiaca	Orange-yellow.	Z
aurea	Of golden colour, golden yellow.	Z
aureum	Of golden colour, golden yellow.	Z
aureus	Of golden colour, golden yellow.	Z
auricomus	Golden-haired, golden-tufted.	Z
auricula	Having small ears.	Z
auricula-judae	"Judas' ears"
auriculata	Of ear-shape.	Z
aurita	With long ears.	Z
aurivella	Golden skinned.
australasica	Of Australian origin.	Z
australasicus	Of Australian origin.	Z
australe	Southern, of the southern hemisphere.	Z
australis	Southern, of the southern hemisphere.	Z
australius	Southern, of the southern hemisphere.	Z
austriaca	Of Austrian origin.	Z
austriacum	Of Austrian origin.	Z
autumnale	Of the Autumn, Autumn flowering.	Z
autumnalis	Of the Autumn, Autumn flowering.	Z
avellana	A Filbert, drab, the colour of the flesh shell of the Hazel-nut.	Z
avenacea	Resembling oats, Avena.	Z
avenaceus	Resembling oats, Avena.	Z
aviculare	Sought by birds.	Z
avium	It is generally thought this refers to birds (causing much confusion between Prunus avium - Wild Cherry and Prunus padus -Bird Cherry). However, might it not be the straightforward adjectival meaning of avium - "out of the way, straying" ?
azoricum	From the Azores.	Z
azurea	True blue, sky-blue.	Z
azureum	True blue, sky-blue.	Z