Species Epithets - M

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Epithet	Meaning	Reference
macilenta	Starved, lean.	Z
macra	Frail, sickly.	Z
macracanthum	With large spine (macro, large or long).	Z
macrantha	Bearing long flowers.	Z
macrocarpa	Bearing large fruit.	Z
macrocarpum	Bearing large fruit.	Z
macrocarpus	Bearing large fruit.	Z
macrocephala	Large-headed.	Z
macrocephalus	Large-headed.	Z
macrodonta	With long teeth.	Z
macrophylla	Having elongated leaves or leaflets.	Z
macrophyllum	Having elongated leaves or leaflets.	Z
macrophyllus	Having elongated leaves or leaflets.	Z
macrorrhizum	With long or big roots.	Z
macrosiphon	With long tubes.	Z
macrospermum	Bearing long seeds.	Z
maculata	Spotted, stained or blotched.	Z
maculatum	Spotted, stained or blotched.	Z
maculatus	Spotted, stained or blotched.	Z
maculosa	Thickly spotted or blotched.	Z
maculosum	Thickly spotted or blotched.	Z
maderense	From the Isle of Madeira.	Z
magellanica	From the region of the Magellan Straits, southern Chile	Z
magellanicus	From the region of the Magellan Straits, southern Chile	Z
magnifica	Magnificent, beautiful.	Z
majalis	Flowering in May.	Z
major	Larger than the type.	Z
majorana	Marjoram.	Z
majus	Large, big.	Z
majuscula	Somewhat larger.	Z
malacoides	Resembling mallow Malva.	Z
manicata	Long sleeved, applied to the densely matted pubescence which may be stripped off like a sleeve.	Z
margaritacea	Pearl-like (Margarita, a pearl).	Z
marginata	Edged, bordered, with a distinct margin.	Z
marginatum	Edged, bordered, with a distinct margin.	Z
marginatus	Edged, bordered, with a distinct margin.	Z
marianum	Referring to the Virgin Mary, or from Maryland, U.S.A.	Z
marina	Growing in or near the sea.	Z
marinum	Growing in or near the sea.	Z
maritima	Growing on the seashore, confined to the coast.	Z
maritimum	Growing on the seashore, confined to the coast.	Z
maritimus	Growing on the seashore, confined to the coast.	Z
marmoratus	Marked with coloured veins like marble.	Z
marmorea	Marble-like.	Z
martagon	The Martagon Lily, Lilium martagon.	Z
mas	Male.	Z
mascula	Male, masculine.	Z
matronalis	Pertaining to a matron.	Z
maxima	The largest.	Z
maximum	The largest.	Z
media	In between - as of a hybrid for instance
megalosperma	Bearing large seeds or spores.	Z
megapotamicum	"Big river". In the case of Abutilon the Rio Grande of Brazil.	JS
megastachys	With large spikes.	Z
melanantha	Bearing black flowers.	Z
melanocarpa	Bearing black or dark fruit.	Z
melanocarpus	Bearing black or dark fruit.	Z
melanoxylon	Having black wood.	Z
meleagris	Spotted like a Guinea fowl.	Z
melitensis	From the Isle of Malta.	Z
mellea	With the taste or smell of honey, honey-coloured.	Z
melongena	Egg-plant, Solanum Melongena.	Z
memphitica	From Memphis in Egypt.	Z
menziesii	After Scottish botanist, Archibald Menzies.	JS
meridionalis	Belonging to noon.	Z
mertonensis	Digitalis mertonensis is a garden hybrid that comes true from seed. I believe the name refers to an origin at Merton College, Oxford.
mesenterica	I am sure this is related to the word "mesentery" - connective tissue in the abdomen.
messanensis	From Messina in Sicily.	Z
mexicana	Of Mexican origin.	Z
mexicanum	Of Mexican origin.	Z
mezereum	Dwarf Bay Daphne or foreboding, deadly.	Z
micacea	Mica-like.	Z
micaceus	Mica-like.	Z
micans	Shining, glistening.	Z
micrantha	Bearing minute flowers.	Z
micranthum	Bearing minute flowers.	Z
micranthus	Bearing minute flowers.	Z
microcarpa	Bearing small fruit.	Z
microcarpum	Bearing small fruit.	Z
microcephala	Having small or short heads.	Z
microcephalum	Having small or short heads.	Z
microglochin	Having minute bristles.	Z
microglossus	With small, short tongues.	Z
microphylla	Small-leaved.	Z
microphyllus	Small-leaved.	Z
microstachya	With small spike.	Z
miliacea	Millet-like, Milium.	Z
miliaceum	Millet-like, Milium.	Z
militaris	With helmet and also soldier like, in masses.	Z
millefolium	"1000 leaves."
miniatum	The colour of Cinnabar or red lead, more orange or duller than vermilion.	Z
minima	Very small.	Z
minimus	Very small.	Z
minor	Smaller, lesser.	Z
minus	Small, less.	Z
minuta	Very small, inconspicuous.	Z
missouriense	From the river Missouri.	Z
missouriensis	From the river Missouri.	Z
mitis	Gentle, defenceless, without thorns or spines.	Z
mixtum	Cross-bred, mixed.	Z
moldavica	From Moldavia, now divided between Romania, Moldovan Republic and Ukraine.	Z
molle	Soft, tender, usually meaning pubescent like velvet.	Z
mollis	Soft, tender, usually meaning pubescent like velvet.	Z
mollissimus	Very soft.	Z
mollugo	Indian chickweed.	Z
monantha	One-flowered, or with single flowers.	Z
monococcum	Bearing one seed or berry.	Z
monogyna	Having a single pistil in a flower.	Z
monopyrenus	Bearing single stone or nutlet.	Z
monorchis	With single tuber.	Z
monspeliaca	From Mount Pelium, Greece.	Z
monspeliacus	From Mount Pelium, Greece.	Z
monspeliense	From Montpellier.	Z
monspeliensis	From Montpellier.	Z
monspessulana	From the district of Montpellier.	Z
monspessulanum	From the district of Montpellier.	Z
montana	Growing on the mountains.	Z
montanum	Growing on the mountains.	Z
montanus	Growing on the mountains.	Z
montevidense	From Montevideo, capital of Uruguay.	Z
montevidensis	From Montevideo, capital of Uruguay.	Z
monticola	Growing on hills.	Z
morio	A helmet or cap.	Z
morsus-ranae	Frog-bite, Hydrocharis.	Z
moschata	With a musky scent.	Z
moschatellina	Resembling moschusi musk or musky.	Z
moschatum	With a musky scent.	Z
moschatus	With a musky scent.	Z
mossii	Named for C E Moss, founding Professor of Botany at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa.
mucronata	Terminating, an organ with a straight, stiff and sharp point.	Z
mucronatum	Terminating, an organ with a straight, stiff and sharp point.	Z
mucronatus	Terminating, an organ with a straight, stiff and sharp point.	Z
mucronulatus	With a diminutive sharp point.	Z
multicaule	With many stalks.	Z
multicaulis	With many stalks.	Z
multifidum	Many-cleft, divided into many segments.	Z
multiflorum	Many-flowered.	Z
multiflorus	Many-flowered.	Z
multisiliquosa	Bearing many seedpods.	Z
munitum	Armed (with thorns or spines).	Z
murale	Growing on walls.	Z
muralis	Growing on walls.	Z
muricata	Full of rough, short, sharp points.	Z
muricatus	Full of rough, short, sharp points.	Z
murinum	Mouse-coloured.	Z
murorum	Growing on walls.	Z
muscipula	Fly-trap Dionaea muscipula, Venus Fly-trap.	Z
muscosa	Covered, as with moss.	Z
mutabile	Changing in form or colour.	Z
mutatum	Changing in appearance.	Z
muticum	Curtailed, docked, pointless blunt, awn-less.	Z
muticus	Curtailed, docked, pointless blunt, awn-less.	Z
myconi	Named for Francisco Mico (b. 1528), Spanish Physician and Botanist.
myosuroides	Resembling mouse-tail, Myosurus.	Z
myriocarpus	Bearing much fruit.	Z
myrsinites	Resembling Myrsine, African Myrtle.	Z
myrtillus	A little myrtle.	DBE