Did you know that botanical names ACTUALLY mean something? Here’s a short list of some common species names that will help you understand what it is you’re looking at.
| SPECIES | MEANING |
|---|---|
| acaulis | stemless |
| alba | white |
| angustifolia | narrow-leaved |
| annua | annual |
| argentea | silvery |
| arvensis | of the field |
| auratiaca | orange |
| aurea | golden, yellow |
| australis | from the south (not necessarily Australia) |
| autumnalis | of autumn |
| azurea | blue |
| caerulea | blue |
| caespitosa | dense |
| campanulata | like a bell |
| campestris | of the field |
| canadensis | from Canada |
| capensis | from the Cape, South Africa |
| chinensis | from China |
| chrysantha | yellow |
| coccinea | red |
| compacta | compact |
| decidua | deciduous |
| densiflora | dense-flowered |
| digitata | leaves like a hand, with 5 lobes |
| esculenta | edible |
| farinosa | floury, powdery |
| flava | yellow |
| flora plena | with double flowers |
| foetida | with an unpleasant smell |
| glabra | smooth |
| grandiflora | large flowered |
| hirsuta | hairy |
| humilis | short |
| japonica | from Japonica |
| lanceolata | lance-shaped leaves |
| latifolia | wide leaved |
| longiflora | with long flowers |
| longifolia | with long leaves |
| lutea | yellow |
| macrantha | with large leaves |
| macrorrhiza | with large roots |
| maculata | spotted |
| majus | bigger |
| maritima | near the sea |
| micrantha | small flowered |
| microphylla | with small leaves |
| millefolia | with many (thousands of) leaves |
| montana | from mountains |
| multiflora | many flowered |
| nana | small |
| officinalis | with herbal uses |
| pallida | cream |
| palustris | from marshes |
| parviflora | small flowered |
| parvifolia | small leaved |
| pauciflora | few-flowered |
| paucifolia | with few leaves |
| pendula | hanging |
| perennis | perennial |
| pinnata | with pinnate leaves |
| polyphylla | with many leaves, leafy |
| praecox | early, of spring |
| prostrata | prostrate |
| pumila | small |
| punica | red |
| purpurea | deep pink |
| pygmae | small |
| quercifolia | oak-leaved |
| rosea | rose pink |
| rotundifolia | round leaved |
| rubra | red |
| rupestris | of hills |
| sanguinea | blood-red |
| sativa | cultivated |
| saxatillis | of rocks |
| semperviva | perennial |
| sibirica | from Siberia |
| spicata | spiked |
| spinosa | spiny |
| stellata | starry |
| sulphurea | yellow |
| sylvestris | from the woods |
| tenuifolia | with thin, narrow leaves |
| umbellata | flowers in an umbel |
| vernalis | of spring |
| villosa | hairy |
| viridis | green |
| vulgaris | common |