The a to Z of Plant Names: A Quick Reference Guide to 4000 Garden Plants (24 page)

macrocephala
Muss. Pusck. ex Willd. mak-roh-
kef
-uh-luh. Giant knap-weed. Gk. with a large head. Caucasus, W Asia.

montana
L. mon-
tah
-nuh. Perennial cornflower. Lat. of mountains. Eur.

moschata
L. =
Amberboa moschata

nigra
L.
nie
-gruh. Black knapweed, lesser knapweed. Lat. black (the dark involucral bracts). Eur.

orientalis
L. o-ree-en-
tah
-lis. Lat. eastern. SE Eur., W Asia.

ruthenica
Lam. rue-
then
-i-kuh. Of Ruthenia (old name for part of E Eur). E Eur.

scabiosa
L. skay-bee-
oh
-suh. Greater knapweed. From Lat. scabies (from med. properties). Eur., W Asia.

simplicicaulis
Boiss. & Huet. simplis-ee-
kaw
-lis. Lat. with a simple (unbranched) stem. Caucasus.

triumfettii
All. trie-uhm-
fet
-ee-ee. After Giovanni Battista Triumfetti (1656–1708), Italian botanist. Eur., N Africa, W Asia.

Centranthus
DC. (Valerianaceae). sen-
tranth
-oos. Gk. spur flower, referring to the spur on the corolla. 10 spp., herbs, subshrubs. Eur., Medit.

ruber
(L.) DC.
rue
-ber. Red valerian. Lat. red (the flowers). Medit.

century plant
Agave americana

Cephalaria
Roem. & Schult. (Dipsacaceae). kef-uh-
lah
-ree-uh. From Gk. head (the flowers are borne in dense heads). 65 spp. herbs. Eur., W and C Asia, Africa.

alpina
(L.) Roem. & Schult. al-
pie
-nuh. Alpine scabious. Lat. alpine. C and S Eur.

dipsacoides
Boiss. & Bal. dip-suh-
koy
-deez. Lat. like
Dipsacus
. Syria.

gigantea
(Ledeb.) Bobrov. jie-
gan
-teeuh. Giant scabious. Lat. very large. Turkey, Caucasus.

leucantha
(L.) Roem. & Schult. lue-
kanth
-uh. Gk. white-flowered. S Eur., Algeria.

Cephalocereus
Pfeiff. (Cactaceae). kef-uh-loh-
seer
-ree-oos. Gk. head,
Cereus
. 3 spp. cacti. Mex.

senilis
(Haw.) Pfeiff.
sen
-i-lis. Old man cactus. Lat. old, of an old man (referring to the long white hairs).

Cephalotaxus
Sieb. & Zucc. ex Endl. (Taxaceae). kef-uh-loh-
tax
-oos. Plum yew. Gk. head,
Taxus
(the strobili are in dense heads). 6 spp., shrubs, trees. Himal. to E Asia.

fortunei
Hook. for-
tewn
-ee-ee. Chinese plum yew. After Scottish botanist Robert Fortune (1812–1880), who collected the type specimen and introduced it to gardens.

harringtonii
(Knight ex Forbes) K. Koch. ha-ring-
toh
-nee-ee. Japanese plum yew. After Charles Stanhope, 4th Earl of Harrington (1780–1851), who grew it. Japan. var.
drupacea
(Sieb. & Zucc.) Koidz. drue-
pay
-seeuh. Lat. plum-like (the fruit).

Cerastium
L. (Caryophyllaceae). ke-
ras
-tee-oom. Mouse-ear chick-weed. From Gk. horn, from the shape of the capsule. 100 spp. herbs. Widespread.

alpinum
L. al-
pie
-noom. Alpine mouse-ear chickweed. Lat. alpine. Canada, Greenland, N Eur.

tomentosum
L. tom-en-
toh
-soom. Snow-in-summer. Lat. hairy (the foliage). Italy, Sicily.

Ceratophyllum
L. (Ceratophyllaceae). ke-ruh-
tof
-i-loom. Hornwort. Gk. horn leaf, from the horn-like leaves. 4 spp. aquatic herbs. Widespread.

demersum
L. dee-
mer
-soom. Lat. submerged.

Ceratostigma
Bunge (Plumbaginaceae). ke-rat-oh-
stig
-muh. Gk. horn, stigma (the stigma bears horn-like structures). 8 spp., herbs, shrubs. NE Africa, E Asia.

griffithii
C. B. Clarke. gri-
fith
-ee-ee. After William Griffith (1810–1845), English botanist and doctor who collected the type specimen. Himal., W China.

plumbaginoides
Bunge. plum-baj-in-
oy
-deez. Like
Plumbago
. W China.

willmottianum
Stapf. wil-mot-ee-
ah
-noom. After Ellen Ann Willmott (1858–1934), English gardener who grew it at Warley Pace, Essex, from the first introduction in 1908 by E. H. Wilson. W China.

Cercidiphyllum
Sieb. & Zucc. (Cercidiphyllaceae). ser-sid-i-
fil
-oom. Gk. with leaves like
Cercis
. 2 spp. trees. China, Japan.

japonicum
Sieb. & Zucc. juh-
pon
-i-koom. Katsura tree. Of Japan.

Cercis
L. (Fabaceae).
ser
-sis. Gk. a weaver’s shuttle, referring to the shape of the pods. 10 spp., trees, shrubs. Eur., W and C Asia, Canada, USA, Mex., China.

canadensis
L. kan-uh-
den
-sis. Redbud. Of Canada. E and C USA, Mex. var.

texensis
(S. Watson) Hopkins. tex-
en
-sis. Texas redbud. Of Texas. S USA.

chinensis
Bunge. chin-
en
-sis. Chinese redbud. Of China. China.

occidentalis
A. Gray. ok-si-den-
tah
-lis. California redbud, western redbud. Lat. western. SW USA.

reniformis
S. Watson =
C. canadensis
var.
texensis

siliquastrum
L. si-li-
kwas
-troom. Judas tree. Lat. somewhat like a pod (the fruit). E Medit.

Ceropegia
L. (Apocynaceae). ke-roh-
pee
-jee-uh. Gk. wax fountain, referring
to the flowers. 160 spp. herbs, often succulent. Mainly S Africa.

linearis
E. Mey. lin-ee-
ah
-ris. Lat. linear (the leaves). S Africa. subsp.
woodii
(Schltr.) H. Huber.
wood
-ee-ee. Sweetheart vine, hearts on a string. After John Medley Wood (1827–1915), English-born South African botanist who discovered it.
woodii
Schltr. =
C. linearis
subsp.
woodii

Cestrum
L. (Solanaceae).
kes
-troom. Gk. name of a plant. 175 spp. shrubs. Trop. Am.

×
cultum
Francey.
kul
-toom. Lat. cultivated.
C. elegans
×
C. parqui
. Cult.

elegans
(Brogn.) Schltdl.
el
-i-ganz. Lat. elegant. Mex.

‘Newellii’
. new-
el
-ee-ee. After Mr Newell of Downham Market, Norfolk, UK, who raised it.

nocturnum
L. nok-
tur
-noom. Lady of the night. Lat. of night (when the flowers open). W Indies.

chainplant
Callisia navicularis

Chaenomeles
L. (Rosaceae). kie-
nom
-i-leez. Flowering quince. Gk. gaping apple, from a belief that the fruit splits when ripe. 3 spp. shrubs. E Asia.

cathayensis
(Hemsl.) C. K. Schneid. kath-ay-
en
-sis. Of Cathay. China.

japonica
(Thunb.) Spach. juh-
pon
-ikuh. Of Japan. Japan.

speciosa
(Sweet) Nakai. spee-see-
oh
-suh. Lat. showy. China.

×
superba
(Frahm) Rehder. sue-
per
-buh. Lat. superb.
C. japonica
×
C. speciosa
. Cult.

Chaenorhinum
(DC.) Rchb. (Plantaginaceae). kie-noh-
reen
-oom. Gk. gaping nose, referring to the flowers. 20 spp. ann. and perenn. herbs. Medit., SW Asia.

origanifolium
(L.) Kostel. o-ri-gahn-i-
foh
-lee-oom. Lat. with leaves like
Origanum
. SW Eur.

Chaenostoma
Benth. (Scrophulariaceae). kie-noh-
stoh
-muh. Gk. gaping mouth, referring to the flowers. 45 spp. herbs. S Africa.

cordatum
(Thunb.) Benth. kor-
dah
-toom. Lat. heart-shaped (the leaves).

chaff flower
Alternanthera

Chamaecyparis
Spach (Cupressaceae). kam-ee-
sip
-uh-ris. Gk. dwarf, cypress. 5 spp. conifers. N Am., E Asia.

lawsoniana
(A. Murray) Parl. law-soh-nee-
ah
-nuh. Lawson cypress. After Charles Lawson (1794–1873) of the Lawson Nursery, Edinburgh, which raised and distributed plants from the first introduction in 1854. Calif., Oregon.
‘Ellwoodii’
. el-
wood
-ee-ee. After G. Ellwood, gardener at Swanmore Park, Hampshire, UK, where it was raised.
‘Gimbornii’
. gim-
born
-ee-ee. After Dutchman Max Von Gimborn (1872–1964), on whose estate (now the Von Gimborn Arboretum) it was raised.
‘Wisselii’
. vis-
el
-ee-ee. After F. van der Wissel, the Dutch nurseryman who raised it.

nootkatensis
(D. Don) Spach =
Xanthocyparis nootkatensis

obtusa
(Sieb. & Zucc.) Endl. ob-
tew
-suh. Hinoki cypress. Lat. blunt (the leaves). Japan.

pisifera
(Sieb. & Zucc.) Endl. pi-
si
-fuh-ruh. Sawara cypress. Lat. peabearing (the cones). Japan.
‘Filifera’
. fi-
lif
-uh-ruh. Lat. bearing threads (the slender shoots).
‘Plumosa’
. plue-
moh
-suh. Lat. feathery (the foliage).
‘Squarrosa’
. skwo-
roh
-suh. Lat. with spreading tips (the juvenile foliage).

thyoides
(L.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb. tie-
oy
-deez. White cedar/cypress. Lat. like
Thuja
. E USA.
‘Andelyensis’
. an-duh-lee-
en
-sis. Of Les Andelys, France, where it was raised.

Chamaecytisus
Link (Fabaceae). kamee-
sit
-i-soos. Gk. dwarf,
Cytisus
. 30 spp. shrubs. Eur., W Asia.

purpureus
(Scop.) Link. pur-
pew
-reeoos. Purple broom. Lat. purple (the flowers). C and SE Eur.

Chamaedaphne
Moench (Ericaceae). kam-ee-
daf
-nee. Gk. dwarf,
Daphne
. 1 sp., shrub. Canada, E and C USA, Eur., N Asia.

calyculata
(L.) Moench. ka-lik-ew-
lah
-tuh. Leatherleaf. Lat. with a small calyx.

Chamaedorea
Willd. (Arecaceae). kam-ee-
do
-ree-uh. Gk. dwarf, gift. 105 spp. palms. Mex., C and S Am.

elegans
Mart.
el
-i-ganz. Parlour palm. Lat. elegant. Mex., Belize, Guatemala.

erumpens
H. E. Moore =
C. seifrizii

metallica
O. F. Cook ex H. E. Moore. me-
tal
-i-kuh. Metallic palm. Lat. of metal (the foliage appears to be). S Mex.

microspadix
Burret. mik-roh-
spa
-dix. Gk. with a small spadix (flower spike). E Mex.

seifrizii
Burret. sie-
frits
-ee-ee. Bamboo palm, reed palm. After German botanist William Seifriz, who collected the (since destroyed) type specimen. SE Mex., C Am.