The a to Z of Plant Names: A Quick Reference Guide to 4000 Garden Plants (81 page)

glabriuscula
McAll. glab-ree-
usk
-ewluh. Lat. somewhat glabrous. China.

hupehensis
hort. =
S. glabriuscula

intermedia
(Ehrh.) Pers. in-ter-
mee
-dee-uh. Swedish whitebeam. Lat. intermediate (between two species). Eur.

reducta
Diels. re-
duk
-tuh. Lat. reduced (in size). SW China, N Myanmar.

scalaris
Koehne. skuh-
lah
-ris. Lat. ladder-like (the leaves). SW China.

scopulina
Greene. skop-ew-
leen
-uh. Lat. twiggy. W Canada, W USA.

thibetica
(Cardot) Hand.-Mazz. ti-
bet
-i-kuh. Of Tibet. W China, Himal.

×
thuringiaca
(Nyman) Schonach. thoo-ring-ee-
ah
-kuh. Of Thuringia, Germany.
S. aria
×
S. aucuparia
. Eur.

torminalis
(L.) Crantz. tor-mi-
nah
-lis. Chequer tree, wild service tree. Lat.
of colic, referring to med. properties. Eur., N Africa, W Asia.

vilmorinii
C. K. Schneid. vil-mo-
rin
-ee-ee. After French nurseryman Maurice Lévêque de Vilmorin (1849–1918), to whom the first seeds were sent in 1889. SW China.

sorrel
Oxalis
.
French
Rumex scutatus
.
garden
R. acetosa
.
redwood
Oxalis oregana
.
wood
O. acetosella

sorrel tree
Oxydendrum arboreum

sour gum
Nyssa sylvatica

sourwood
Oxydendrum arboreum

southernwood
Artemisia abrotanum

sow thistle, mountain
Cicerbita plumieri

soya bean
Glycine max

Sparganium
L. (Sparganiaceae). spar-
gan
-ee-oom. Bur reeds. From Gk. swaddling band, for the strap-shaped leaves. 14 spp. aquatic herbs. N temp. regs., Mex., NZ, Australia.

erectum
L. ee-
rek
-toom. Lat. upright. Eur., N Africa, Asia.

eurycarpum
Engelm. ew-ree-
karp
-oom. Gk. broad fruit. Canada, USA, Mex., E Asia.

Spartina
Schreb. (Poaceae). spar-
tee
-nuh. From Gk. cord (it has been used for binding). 17 spp. grasses. Widespread.

pectinata
Link. pek-ti-
nah
-tuh. Prairie cord grass. Lat. comb-like (the inflorescence). Canada, USA.

Spartium
L. (Fabaceae).
spart
-ee-oom. From Gk. cord (it has been used for binding). 1 sp., shrub. Medit.

junceum
L.
jun
-see-oom. Spanish broom. Lat. rush-like (the shoots).

Spathiphyllum
Schott (Araceae). spath-i-
fil
-oom. Peace lilies. Gk. spathe leaf, referring to the showy, leaf-like spathe. 50 spp. evergreen herbs. Trop. Am., Malesia, Pacific Is.

wallisii
Regel. wol-
is
-ee-ee. After German botanist Gustav Wallis (1830–1878), who collected the type specimen in Colombia. Colombia, Venezuela.

spearmint
Mentha spicata

spearwort, greater
Ranunculus lingua

speedwell
Veronica
.
digger’s
V. perfoliata

Speirantha
Baker (Asparagaceae). spay-
ranth
-uh. Gk. twisted flower. 1 sp., perenn. herb. SE China.

convallarioides
Baker =
S. gardenii

gardenii
(Hook.) Baill. gar-
den
-ee-ee. After Captain Garden, who was mistakenly believed to have introduced it from S Africa.

Sphaeralcea
A. St.-Hil. (Malvaceae). sfair-
al
-see-uh. Globe mallows. Gk. globe, and the related
Alcea
, referring to the spherical fruit. 40 spp., ann. and perenn. herbs, subshrubs. N and S Am.

ambigua
A. Gray. am-
big
-ew-uh. Lat. doubtful. SW USA, N Mex.

coccinea
(Nutt.) Rydb. kok-
sin
-ee-uh. Lat. scarlet (the flowers). W Canada, W and C USA, N Mex.

munroana
(Douglas ex Lindl.) Spach ex A. Gray. mun-roh-
ah
-nuh. After Mr Munro, gardener to the Horticultural Society, from which garden it was first illustrated. SW Canada, W USA.

spice bush
Lindera benzoin

spider plant
Chlorophytum comosum, Tarenaya hassleriana

spiderflower, showy
Cleoserrata speciosa

Spigelia
L. (Loganiaceae). spi-
gel
-ee-uh. After Flemish anatomist and botanist Adriaan van den Spiegel (Spigelius) (1578–1625), the first to publish instructions on how to prepare herbarium specimens. 60 spp., ann. and perenn. herbs, subshrubs. N and trop. Am.

marilandica
(L.) L. ma-ri-
land
-i-kuh. Indian pink. Of Maryland. E USA.

spikenard, American
Aralia racemosa
.
California
A. californica
.
false
Maianthemum racemosum

Spilanthes oleracea
L. =
Acmella oleracea

spinach
Spinacia oleracea
.
New Zealand
Tetragonia tetragoniodes

Spinacia
L. (Amaranthaceae). spin-
ay
-see-uh. From the Arabic or Persian name. 3 spp. ann. herbs. N Africa, SW Asia.

oleracea
L. ol-uh-
ray
-see-uh. Spinach. Lat. vegetable-like. Cult.

spindle tree
Euonymus europaeus

Spiraea
L. (Rosaceae). spie-
ree
-uh. Gk. name of a plant used in garlands. 80 spp. shrubs. N Am., Eur., Asia.

‘Arguta’
. ar-
gew
-tuh. Lat. sharp-toothed (the leaves).
S. multiflora
×
S. thunbergii
.

douglasii
Hook. dug-
las
-ee-ee. Steeple bush. After Scottish botanist and plant collector David Douglas (1799–1834), who discovered it ca. 1827 and sent seed to Glasgow Botanic Garden. SW Canada, W USA.

fritschiana
C. K. Schneid. frich-ee-
ah
-nuh. After Austrian botanist Karl Fritsch (1864–1934). China.

japonica
L.f. juh-
pon
-i-kuh. Of Japan. China, Japan, Korea.

nipponica
Maxim. ni-
pon
-i-kuh. Of Japan. Japan.

prunifolia
Sieb. & Zucc. prue-ni-
foh
-lee-uh. Lat. with leaves like
Prunus
. China, Taiwan, Korea.

thunbergii
Siebold ex Blume. thun-
berg
-ee-ee. After Swedish botanist and physician Carl Peter Thunberg (1743–1828), who collected in Japan and S Africa.

tomentosa
L. to-men-
toh
-suh. Steeplebush. Lat. hairy (the shoots and leaves). Canada, E USA.

×
vanhouttei
(Briot) Zabel. van-
huet
-ee-ee. After Belgian nurseryman Louis van Houtte (1810–1876).
S. trilobata
× S.
cantoniensis
. Cult.

spleenwort
Asplenium
.
ebony
A. platyneuron
.
maidenhair
A. trichomanes

Sporobolus
R. Br. (Poaceae). spo-
ro
-bo-loos. Gk. seed casting, referring to how the seeds are dispersed. 160 spp. grasses. Widespread.

airoides
(Torr.) Torr. air-
roy
-deez. Lat. like
Aira
, another grass genus. SW Canada, USA, Mex.

cryptandrus
(Torr.) A. Gray. kript-
and
-roos. Gk. with hidden stamens. Canada, USA, Mex., Argentina.

heterolepis
(A. Gray) A. Gray. he-tuhroh-
lep
-is. Gk. with unequal scales (the flower). Canada, USA.

spruce
Picea
.
Alberta white
P. glauca
var.
albertiana
.
black
P. mariana
.
blue
P. pungens
.
Brewer
P. breweriana
.
Norway
P. abies
.
oriental
P. orientalis
.
Serbian
P. omorika
.
Sitka
P. sitchensis
.
white
P. glauca

spurge
Euphorbia
.
Allegheny
Pachy-sandra procumbens
.
caper
Euphorbia lathyris
.
cypress
E. cyparissias
.
honey
E. mellifera
.
horned
E. cornigera
.
sweet
E. dulcis
.
wood
E. amygdaloides

squash
Cucurbita maxima, C. moschata

squawcarpet
Ceanothus prostratus

squill, autumn
Scilla autumnalis

squirrel corn
Dicentra canadensis

St. John’s wort
Hypericum
.
golden
H. frondosum

Stachys
L. (Lamiaceae).
stak
-is. Gk. name of a related plant, from Gk. spike, referring to the flower arrangement. 450 spp., herbs, subshrubs. Widespread.

byzantina
K. Koch. biz-uhn-
teen
-uh. Lamb’s ears. Lat. of Byzantium (Istanbul). W Asia.

macrantha
(K. Koch) Stearn. mak-
ranth
-uh. Gk. large-flowered. W Asia.

officinalis
(L.) Trevis. o-fis-i-
nah
-lis. Betony. Lat. sold as a med. herb. Eur., N Africa, W Asia.

Stachyurus
Sieb. & Zucc. (Stachyuraceae). stak-ee-
ew
-roos. Gk. spike tail, referring to the slender inflorescence. 8 spp., shrubs, trees. E Asia.

chinensis
Franch. chin-
en
-sis. Of China. China.

praecox
Sieb. & Zucc.
prie
-koks. Lat. early (flowering). Japan.

Staphylea
L. (Staphyleaceae). stuh-
fil
-ee-uh. Bladdernuts. Gk. cluster, referring to the arrangement of the flowers. 13 spp., shrubs, trees. Eur., Asia, N Am.

colchica
Steven.
kol
-chi-kuh. Lat. of Colchis on the Black Sea (now part of Georgia). Georgia.

pinnata
L. pin-
ah
-tuh. Lat. pinnate (the leaves). Eur., Turkey.

trifolia
L. trie-
foh
-lee-uh. American bladdernut. Lat. with three leaves (leaflets). SE Canada, E USA.

star of Bethlehem
Ornithogalum umbellatum

starfruit
Averrhoa carambola

statice
Limonium sinuatum
.
Tatarian
Goniolimon tataricum