The a to Z of Plant Names: A Quick Reference Guide to 4000 Garden Plants (15 page)

aubergine
Solanum melongena

Aubrieta
Adans. (Brassicaceae). aw-
bree
-shuh. After Claude Aubriet (1665–1742), French botanical artist. 15 spp. herbs. Eur., W Asia.

deltoidea
(L.) DC. del-
toy
-dee-uh. Gk. deltoid (i.e., triangular, the petals). SE Eur.

Aucuba
Thunb. (Garryaceae). aw-
kew
-buh. From the Japanese name, which means green leaf. 5 spp. shrubs. E Asia.

japonica
Thunb. juh-
pon
-i-kuh. Of Japan. China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan.
‘Crotonifolia’
. kroh-ton-i-
foh
-leeuh. Lat. with leaves like croton (
Codiaeum
).
‘Picturata’
. pik-tew-
rah
-tuh. Lat. painted (the variegated leaves).

auricula
Primula auricula

Aurinia
Desv. (Brassicaceae). aw-
rin
-ee-uh. From Lat. golden (the flowers). 13 spp. herbs. Eur., W Asia.

saxatilis
(L.) Desv. sax-
a
-ti-lis. Basket of gold, golden alyssum. Lat. growing in rocky places. C and SE Eur.

Austrocedrus
Florin & Boutelje (Cupressaceae). os-troh-
seed
-roos. Lat. southern cedar. 1 sp., conifer. Chile, Argentina.

chilensis
(D. Don) Pic. Serm. & Bizzarri. chi-
len
-sis. Chilean cedar. Of Chile.

Avena
L. (Poaceae). uh-
vee
-nuh. The Lat. name. 25 spp. grasses. Eur., W Asia, E Africa.

sativa
L. sa-
tee
-vuh. Oats. Lat. cultivated. Cult.

avens
Geum
.
alpine
G. montanum
.
mountain
Dryas octopetala
.
water
Geum rivale

Averrhoa
L. (Oxalidaceae). a-vee-
roh
-uh. After Averroes, 12th-cent. Moorish philosopher. 2 spp., trees, shrubs. SE Asia.

carambola
L. kuh-
ram
-bo-luh. Star-fruit. Portuguese name, from Sanskrit, appetiser.

avocado
Persea americana

Azara
Ruiz & Pav. (Salicaceae). uh-
zar
-ruh. After José Nicolás de
Azara (1730–1804), Spanish diplomat. 10 spp., shrubs, trees. S Am.

dentata
Ruiz & Pav. den-
tah
-tuh. Lat. toothed (the leaves). Chile.

integrifolia
Ruiz & Pav. in-teg-ri-
foh
-lee-uh. Lat. entire (the leaves). Chile, Argentina.

lanceolata
Hook.f. lahn-see-oh-
lah
-tuh. Lat. lance-shaped (the leaves). Chile, Argentina.

microphylla
Hook.f. mik-
rof
-i-luh. Gk. small-leaved. Chile, Argentina.

serrata
Ruiz & Pav. se-
rah
-tuh. Lat. saw-toothed (the leaves). Chile.

azarole
Crataegus azarolus

Azolla
Lam. (Azollaceae). uh-
zol
-uh. Gk. to dry, to kill (they are drought sensitive). 5 spp. ferns. Widespread.

caroliniana
Willd. ka-ro-lin-ee-
ah
-nuh. Mosquito fern. Of the Carolinas. E USA, trop. Am.

filiculoides
Lam. fi-lik-ew-
loy
-deez. Lat. like a little fern. N and S Am.

Babiana
Ker Gawl. (Iridaceae). bab-ee-
ah
-nuh. Baboon flower. 90 spp. herbs. S Africa.

stricta
(Aiton) Ker Gawl.
strik
-tuh. Lat. upright (the stems).

baboon flower
Babiana

baby blue-eyes
Nemophila menziesii

baby’s breath
Gypsophila paniculata
.
annual
G. elegans

baby’s tears
Soleirolia soleirolii

Baccharis
L. (Asteraceae).
bak
-uh-ris. After Bacchus, Roman god of wine. 400 spp., herbs, shrubs, trees. Americas.

halimifolia
L. ha-li-mi-
foh
-lee-uh. Lat. with leaves like
Atriplex halimus
. Sea myrtle, tree groundsel. E USA, Mex., W Indies.

patagonica
(Lam.) Pers. pat-uh-
gon
-ikuh. Of Patagonia. Chile, Argentina.

pilularis
DC. pil-ew-
lah
-ris. Coyote-brush. Lat. bearing little balls (the flowerheads). W USA.

baldmoney
Meum athamanticum

balloon flower
Platycodon grandiflorus

balloon plant
Asclepias physocarpa

balloon vine
Cardiospermum halicacabum

Ballota
L. (Lamiaceae). buh-
lot
-uh. Gk. name for
B. nigra
. 30 spp., herbs, shrubs. Eur., Medit., Africa.

nigra
L.
nie
-gruh. Black horehound. Lat. black. Eur., N Africa.

pseudodictamnus
(L.) Benth. sue-doh-dik-
tam
-noos. Gk. false
Dictamnus
. SE Eur.

balmony
Chelone glabra

balsam, garden
Impatiens balsamina

Balsamita major
Desf. =
Tanacetum balsamita

vulgaris
Willd. =
Tanacetum balsamita

bamboo, black
Phyllostachys nigra.
candy stripe
Himalayacalamus falconeri
.
heavenly
Nandina domestica
.
Himalayan blue
Himalayacalamus hookerianus
.
lucky
Dracaena braunii
.
marbled
Chimonobambusa marmorea
.
sacred
Nandina domestica
.
walking stick
Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda

baneberry, red
Actaea rubra
.
white
A. pachypoda

Banksia
L.f. (Proteaceae).
banks
-eeuh. After Sir Joseph Banks (1743–1820), English botanist and explorer who collected the first specimens at Botany Bay, Australia, in 1770 on the voyage with Cook. 80 spp., trees, shrubs. Australia.

integrifolia
L.f. in-teg-ri-
foh
-lee-uh. Coast banksia. Lat. with entire leaves. E Australia.

marginata
Cav. mar-ji-
nah
-tuh. Silver banksia. Lat. edged (the leaves with teeth). SE Australia.

serrata
L.f. se-
rah
-tuh. Saw leaf banksia. Lat. saw-toothed (the leaves). SE Australia.

banksia, coast
Banksia integrifolia
.
saw leaf
B. serrata
.
silver
B. marginata

Baptisia
Vent. (Fabaceae). bap-
tiz
-ee-uh. From Gk. to dye, as some were used in dyeing. 15 spp. herbs. N Am.

alba
(L.) Vent.
al
-buh. White wild indigo. Lat. white (the flowers). E USA. var.
macrophylla
(Larisey) Isely. mak-
rof
-i-luh. Gk. large-leaved.

australis
(L.) R. Br. os-
trah
-lis. Blue wild indigo. Lat. southern. E USA, SE Canada. var.
minor
(Lehm.) Fernald.
mie
-nuh. Lat. small.

leucantha
Torr. & A. Gray =
B. alba
var.
macrophylla

minor
Lehm. =
B. australis
var.
minor

sphaerocarpa
Nutt. sfair-roh-
kar
-puh. Yellow wild indigo. Gk. spherical fruit. S USA.

tinctoria
(L.) R. Br. tink-
tor
-ree-uh. Horsefly weed. Lat. of dyers. E USA, SE Canada.

Barbarea
R. Br. (Brassicaceae). bar-
bair
-ree-uh. After St. Barbara (4th cent.), perhaps because it was the only food available on that saint’s day (Dec 4). 20 spp. herbs. N temp. regs.

praecox
(Sm.) R. Br. =
B. verna

verna
(Mill.) Asch.
ver
-nuh. Land cress. Lat. of spring. SW Eur.

vulgaris
R. Br. vul-
gar
-ris. Yellow rocket. Lat. common. Eur.

barberry
Berberis
.
common
B. vulgaris.
netleaf
B. dictyophylla

barley
Hordeum vulgare
.
foxtail
H. jubatum

barrenwort
Epimedium

basil
Ocimum basilicum
.
African
O. americanum
.
American
O. americanum

basket flower
Centaurea americana

basket of gold
Aurinia saxatilis

Bassia
All. (Amaranthaceae).
bas
-eeuh. After Italian botanist Ferdinando Bassi (1710–1774). 25 spp. herbs. Widespread.

scoparia
(L.) A. J. Scott. skoh-
pair
-reeuh. Burning bush, summer cypress. Lat. broom-like. Eur., Asia.

basswood
Tilia americana

bastard balm
Melittis melissophyllum

bay, bull
Magnolia grandiflora.
California
Umbellularia californica
.
swamp
Magnolia virginiana
.
sweet
Laurus nobilis, Magnolia virginiana

bay laurel
Laurus nobilis

bayberry, northern
Morella pensylvanica
.
southern
M. cerifera

bead plant
Nertera granadensis

bead tree
Melia azedarach

bean
Phaseolus
.
broad
Vicia faba
.
butter
Phaseolus lunatus
.
dwarf
P. vulgaris
.
French
P. vulgaris
.
Lima
P. lunatus
.
runner
P. coccineus

bear’s breeches
Acanthus

bear’s paws
Cotyledon tomentosa

bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Beaucarnea
Lem. (Asparagaceae). boh-
kar
-nee-uh. After Jean-Baptiste Beaucarne, 19th-cent. Belgian plant collector. 9 spp. herbs. Mex., C Am.

recurvata
Lem. ree-kur-
vah
-tuh. Lat. recurved (the leaves). Mex.

beauty berry
Callicarpa

beauty bush
Kolkwitzia amabilis

bedstraw
Galium
.
lady’s
G. verum