Categorized
Epithets which are Geographical
Epithets describing Habitat
Epithets describing Habit
Epithets alluding to Seasons
Epithets describing Leaves
Epithets describing Leaf Shapes
Epithets describing Flowers
Epithets describing Colors
Epithets describing Aromas and Scents
Epithets alluding to Other Plants
Epithets which are commemorative
Miscellaneous Epithets
Epithets which are Geographical
| afghanistanica | of Afghanistan | |
| arizonica | of Arizona | |
| atlantica(um)(us) | of the Atlas Mountains (North Africa) | |
| australe(is) | southern | |
| boreale(is) | northern | |
| californica(um)(us) | of California | |
| canadense(is) | of Canada or Eastern U.S. | |
| canariensis | of Canary Islands | |
| capense(is) | of the Cape (South Africa) | |
| chiapensis | of Chiapas – Mexico | |
| chiahuahuana | of Chiahuana – U.S. & Mexico | |
| chinenese(is) | of China | |
| europaea(um)(us) | of Europe | |
| himalaica(um)(us) | of the Himalayas | |
| hispanica(um)(us) | of Spain | |
| iberica(um)(us) | of Spain | |
| idahoense(is) | of Idaho | |
| indica(um)(us) | of India | |
| japonica(um)(us) | of Japan | |
| korainese(is) | of Korea | |
| lusitanica(um)(us) | of Portugal | |
| mexicana(um) | of Mexico | |
| michoacana | of Michoacan – Mexico | |
| missouriense(is) | of Missouri | |
| nepalense(is) | of Nepal | |
| nip(p)onica(um)(us) | of Japan | |
| novae-angliae | of New England | |
| novi-belgi | of New York | |
| oaxacana | of Oaxaca – Mexico | |
| occidentale(is) | western | |
| orientale(is) | eastern | |
| pen(n)sylvaticum | of Pennsylvania | |
| peruviana(um) | of Peru | |
| sinaloensis | of Sinaloa – Mexico | |
| sinense(is) | of China | |
| syriaca(us) | of Syria – Middle East | |
| taiwanense(is) | of Taiwan | |
| texensis | of Texas | |
| turkestanica | of Turkestan | |
| virginiana | of Virginia | |
| yezoense(is) | of Hokkaido – Japan | |
| yunnanense(is) | of Yunnan – western China |
| alpestre(is) | of mountains | |
| alpicola | of mountains | |
| alpina(um)(us) | of the Alps or growing in alpine regions | |
| arenaria | of sandy areas | |
| arvense(is) | of fields or cultivated land | |
| aquatica(um)(us) | of water or growing by water | |
| basaltica(um)(us) | of basaltic rock | |
| campestre(is) | of plains or flat areas | |
| cliva(orum) | of the hills | |
| fluviatile(is) | of rivers | |
| foninale(is) | of fountains | |
| glacialis | of cold areas | |
| littorale(is) | of sea shores | |
| maritima(um)(us) | by the sea | |
| montana(um)(us) | of mountains | |
| oreophila(um)(us) | mountain loving | |
| palustre(is) | of swamps or marshes | |
| saxitile(is)(um) | of rocks | |
| sylvatica(um)(us) | of woods |
| arborea(um)(us) | tree-like | |
| fastigata(um)(us) | erect (the branches) | |
| fruticosa(um)(us) | shrubby | |
| horizontale(is) | horizontally growing | |
| humile(is) | low-growing | |
| major(us) | greater | |
| minor(us) | lesser | |
| nana(um)(us) | dwarf | |
| pendula(um)(us) | pendulous or weeping | |
| procera(um)(us) | very tall or high | |
| procumbens | procumbent or creeping | |
| prostrata(um)(us) | prostrate or hugging the ground | |
| repens | creeping and rooting | |
| scandens | climbing | |
| suffruticosa(um)(us) | woody at base |
| aestivale(is) | of summer | |
| autumnale(is) | of fall | |
| hyberna(um)(us) | of winter | |
| hyemale(is) | of winter | |
| vernale(is) | of spring |
| angustifolia(um)(us) | narrow-leaved | |
| arguta(um)(us) | sharp | |
| coriacea(um)(us) | leathery or coriaceous | |
| crassifolia(um)(us) | thick-leaved | |
| curtifolia(um)(us) | short-leaved | |
| decidua(um)(us) | deciduous | |
| glabra(um)(us) | without hairs | |
| herterophylla(um)(us) | variably-leaved | |
| hirsuta(um)(us) | hairy | |
| incana(um)(us) | grey-downy | |
| integrifolia(um)(us) | without teeth | |
| laevigata(um)(us) | smooth and polished | |
| latifolia(um)(us) | broad-leaved | |
| macrophylla(um)(us) | large-leaved | |
| maculata(um)(us) | spotted or blotched | |
| microphylla(um)(us) | small-leaved | |
| molle(is) | soft | |
| nitida(um)(us) | shining | |
| parvifolia(um)(us) | small-leaved | |
| picta(um)(us) | painted or colored | |
| pinnata(um)(us) | divided like a feather | |
| platyphylla(os)(um)(us) | broad-leaved | |
| reticulata(um)(us) | net-veined | |
| rugosa | wrinkled | |
| scaber(ra)(um) | rough | |
| scabiosa(um)(us) | rough | |
| sempervirens | always green or evergreen | |
| tomentosa(um)(us) | covered with a short dense pubescense | |
| variegata(um)(us) | variegated or two-colored | |
| velutina(um)(us) | velvety |
Epithets describing Leaf Shapes
| cordifolia(um)(us) | heart-shaped | |
| nummularia(um)(us) | coin-shaped | |
| oblongifolia(um)(us) | longer than broad | |
| obtusfolia(um)(us) | blunt | |
| rotundifolia(um)(us) | round |
Epithets describing Flowers
atro when added as a prefix indicates “dark”
| barbata(um)(us) | with beard | |
| campanulata(um)(us) | bell-shaped | |
| confertiflora(um)(us) | densely | |
| corymbiflora(um)(us) | flowers in a corymb | |
| corymbosa(um)(us) | full of corymbs | |
| floribunda(um)(us) | free-flowering | |
| grandiflora(um)(us) | large-flowered | |
| laxiflora(um)(us) | loose-flowered | |
| macropetala(um)(us) | large-petalled | |
| nudiflora(um)(us) | naked or without leaves | |
| nutans | nodding | |
| paniculata(um)(us) | flowering in cone-shaped panicles | |
| parviflora(um)(us) | small-flowered | |
| pauciflora(um)(us) | few-flowered | |
| polyantha(um)(us) | many-flowered | |
| racemosa(um)(us) | flowers in racemes | |
| secundiflora(um)(us) | flowers on one side | |
| semperflorens | always flowering | |
| spicata(um)(us) | flowers in spikes | |
| stellata(um)(us) | starry | |
| triflora(um)(us) | flowers in threes | |
| umbellata(um)(us) | flowers in umbels: yarrow | |
| uniflora(um)(us) | one-flowered |
Epithets describing Colors
atro when added as a prefix indicates “dark”
| alba(um)(us) | white | |
| argentea(um)(us) | silvery | |
| aurantiaca(um)(us) | orange | |
| aurea(um)(us) | golden | |
| bicolor | two-colored | |
| carnea(um)(us) | flesh-colored | |
| caerulea(um)(us) | blue | |
| cinerea(um)(us) | ash-grey | |
| coccinea(um)(us) | scarlet | |
| concolor | of the same color | |
| discolor | two-colored | |
| ferruginea(um)(us) | rusty brown | |
| flava(um)(us) | pale yellow | |
| glauca(um)(us) | sea-green | |
| lactea(um)(us) | milk-white | |
| lilacina(um)(us) | lilac | |
| lutea(um)(us) | yellow | |
| nigra(um)(us) | black | |
| punicea(um)(us) | crimson | |
| purpurea(um)(us) | purple | |
| rosea(um)(us) | rose-colored | |
| rubra(um)(us) | red | |
| sanguinea(um)(us) | blood-red | |
| tri-color | three-colored | |
| variegata(um)(us) | variegated or two-colored | |
| versicolor | variously colored or changing color | |
| violacea(um)(us) | violet | |
| viride(is) | green |
Epithets describing Aromas and Scents
| citriodora(um)(us) | lemon-scented | |
| foetida(um)(us) | stong-smelling or unpleasant | |
| foetidissima(um)(us) | bad smelling | |
| fragrantissima(um)(us) | most frangrant | |
| graveolens | smelling unpleasantly | |
| odorata(um)(us) | sweet-scented | |
| odoratissima(um)(us) | sweetest-scented | |
| moschata(um)(us) | musk-scented | |
| suaveolens | sweet-scented |
Epithets alluding to Other Plants
| aesculifolia(um)(us) | Horse Chestnut-leaved | |
| alnifolia(um)(us) | Alder-leaved | |
| antirrhiniflora(um)(us) | Snapdragon-flowered | |
| betulifolia(um)(us) | Birch-leaved | |
| bignonioides | Bignonia-like (trumpet vine foliage or flowers) | |
| clematiflora(um)(us) | Clematis-flowered | |
| crataegufolia(um)(us) | Hawthorn-leaved | |
| jasminea | Jasmine-like | |
| lilliflora(um)(us) | Lily-flowered | |
| laurifolia(um)(us) | Laurel-leaved | |
| pseudoplatanus | False Plane | |
| quercifolia(um)(us) | Oak-leaved | |
| salicifolia(um)(us) | Willow-leaved | |
| sambucifolia(um)(us) | Elderberry-leaved | |
| thymifolia(um)(us) | Thyme-leaved | |
| thymoides | Thyme-like | |
| tulipifera(um)(us) | Tulip-bearing | |
| ulnifolia(um)(us) | Elm-leaved |
Epithets which are Commemorative
This list contains samples from a very large group.
Honorariums often end in i or ii (ee-eye).
| davidii | after Father Armand David | |
| delavayi | after the Abbé Delavay | |
| douglasii | after David Douglas – Scottish botanist | |
| harryana(um)(us) | after Sir Harry Veitch | |
| henryana(um)(us) | after Dr Augustine Henry | |
| hookeri | after Sir Joseph Hooker | |
| menziesii | after Archibald Menzies – Scot. Dr. & naturalist | |
| thunbergii | after Carl Peter Thunberg | |
| williamsiana(um)(us) | after Mr J. C. Williams | |
| willmottiana(um)(us) | after Miss Ellen Willmott | |
| wilsoniae | after Mrs E. H. Wilson |
| aestivale(is) | of summer | |
| affine(is) | related to another species | |
| alata(um)(us) | winged | |
| amabile(is) | lovely | |
| ambigua(um)(us) | doubtful identity | |
| amoena(um)(us) | charming or pleasing | |
| autumnale(is) | of fall | |
| bella(um)(us) | pretty | |
| coccifera(um)(us) | berry bearing | |
| commune(is) | common or occurring in plenty | |
| concinna(um)(us) | elegant | |
| confusa(um)(us) | confused identity | |
| coronaria(um)(us) | for wreaths or garlands | |
| costata(um)(us) | ribbed | |
| cuspidata(um)(us) | stiff point | |
| dulce(is) | sweet | |
| edule(is) | edible | |
| foecundissima(um)(us) | fruitful or abundant | |
| florida(um)(us) | flowering | |
| flos-cuculi | cuckoo flowering | |
| flos-jovis | flower of Jupiter | |
| flos-reginae | queen’s flower | |
| formosa(um)(us) | handsome or beautiful | |
| hybrida(um)(us) | hybrid | |
| insigne(is) | outstanding | |
| intermedia(um)(us) | intermediate | |
| media(um)(us) | middle or midway between | |
| noli-tangere | do not touch | |
| occulta(um)(us) | hidden | |
| ocellata(um)(us) | little eyed | |
| oculata(um)(us) | eyed | |
| officinale(is) | of the shop or herbal | |
| orbiculata(um)(us) | circular | |
| praecox | early | |
| princepe(is) | distinguished | |
| pulchella(um)(us) | beautiful | |
| sativa(um)(us) | sown or planted or cultivated | |
| scoparia(um)(us) | broom-like | |
| somnifer(a)(um) | sleep inducing | |
| speciosa(um)(us) | showy | |
| speciosissima(um)(us) | showiest | |
| spectabile(is) | notable or spectacle | |
| utile(is) | useful | |
| viscosa(um)(us) | sticky | |
| vulgare(is) | common |
