Scientific
name
|
Meaning
|
Example
|
A
|
|
|
a-
|
without
|
|
acaulis
|
stemless
|
|
agros
|
field
|
Agrostemma
githago
|
alba (-um)
|
white
|
Chenopodium
album
|
alternifolia
|
alternate-leaved
|
Ludwigia
alternifolia
|
altissima
|
very
tall
|
Ageratina
altissima |
amarus (-um)
|
bitter
|
Helenium
amarum
|
amplexicaulis (-e)
|
stem-clasping
|
Lamium
amplexicaule
|
andrus
(-a)
|
stamens
|
|
| anemos |
wind
|
Anemone
quinquefolia
|
angustifolia (-us)
|
narrow-leaved
|
Typha
angustifolia
|
annuus
|
annual
|
Helianthus
annuus
|
anthos (-us)
|
flower
|
Calycanthus
floridus
|
aphylla (-us)
|
leafless
|
Galax
aphylla
|
arbor (-eum, -escens)
|
tree
|
Vaccinium
arboreum
|
arena
|
sand
|
Arenaria
patula
|
| aristos |
best |
Aristolochia
macrophylla
|
arvensis
|
of cultivated fields
|
Sherardia
arvensis
|
asper (-atus)
|
rough
|
Liatris
aspera
|
aureus
|
golden
|
Senecio
aureus
|
auriculata (-us)
|
eared
|
Coreopsis
auriculata
|
B
|
|
|
bi
|
two
|
Ambrosia
bidentata
|
biennis
|
biennial (two years)
|
Gaura
biennis
|
borealis
|
northern
|
Linnea
borealis
|
brevis
|
short
|
Gratiola
brevifolia
|
C
|
|
|
| caerulea
(-us) |
dark
blue |
Hedyotis
caerulea |
|
caespitosum |
tufted |
Hieracium
caespitosum |
callos
|
beauty
|
Hymenocallis
occidentalis
|
| calyx |
cup
|
Calycanthus
floridus |
campana
|
bell
|
Campanula
divaricata
|
cardia
|
heart
|
Cardiospermum
halicacabum |
carpus
(-a)
|
fruited
|
|
caulon
|
stemmed
|
|
cephal
(-a), (-us)
|
head
|
Cephalanthus
occidentalis
|
| cernuus |
nodding
|
Saururus
cernuus
|
chelone
|
tortoise
|
Chelone
glabra
|
chen
|
goose
|
Chenopodium
album
|
chryso (-a)
|
yellow, gold
|
Chrysogonum
virginianum
|
ciliata, ciliaris
|
fringed
|
Blephilia
ciliata
|
cimex
|
bug
|
Cimicifuga
racemosa
|
coccinea (-um)
|
scarlet
|
Ipomoea
coccinea |
coelestinus (-um)
|
sky-blue
|
Eupatorium
coelestinum
|
cordatus (-a)
|
heart(shaped) |
Tiarella
cordifolia |
corona
|
crown
|
Coronilla
varia
|
cotyle
|
flat cup
|
Hydrocotyle
ranunculoides |
crotolon
|
rattle
|
Crotolaria
sagittalis
|
cryptos
|
hidden
|
Cryptotaenia
canadensis
|
D
|
|
|
delphinus
|
dolphin
|
Delphinium
tricorne
|
dendron
|
tree
|
Rhodendron
|
dens, dentata (-um)
|
tooth
|
Dentaria
diphylla
|
desmos
|
a
chain
|
Desmodium
nudiflorum
|
didyma (-us)
|
in pairs
|
Monarda
didyma
|
dioicus
|
dioecious (separate male and female)
|
Aruncus
dioicus
|
diphylla
|
two-leaved
|
Jeffersonia
diphylla |
E
|
|
|
epi
|
upon
|
Epilobium
|
eri
|
early
|
Erigeron
pulchellus
|
erion
|
wooly
|
Eriogonum
harperi
|
erythro
|
red
|
Erythronium
americana
|
eximius (-ia)
|
out of the ordinary
|
Dicentra
eximia
|
F
|
|
|
fascicularis (-atus, -ata)
|
clustered
|
Chamaecrista
fasciculata
|
fistulosa (-us)
|
hollow-cylindrical (stem)
|
Monarda
fistulosa |
flava
|
yellow
|
Aureolaria
flava
|
flora
|
flower
|
Passiflora
incarnata
|
florida
|
flowering
|
Cornus
florida
|
| folia |
leaf |
Anemone
quinquefolia |
G
|
|
|
gaea
|
earth
|
Epigaea
repens
|
gala
|
milk
|
Galax
urceolata
|
geranos
|
a crane (beak-like)
|
Geranium
maculatum
|
geron
|
old man
|
Erigeron
philadelphicus
|
glaber
(-a, -us)
|
smooth
|
|
gonu
|
knee
|
Polygonum
scandens
|
gramineus
|
grass-like (leaves)
|
Heterotheca
graminifolia
|
grand
|
large |
|
gynus
|
pistils
|
|
H
|
|
|
helios
|
Sun |
Helianthus
anuus
|
hepaticus (-a)
|
of the liver
|
Hepatica
acutiloba
|
| hetero |
different
|
Hexastylus
heterophylla
|
hierax
|
hawk
|
Hieracium
venosum
|
hirsutus
|
hairy
|
Helianthus
hirsutus |
hispidus
|
hairy
|
Ranunculus
hispidus |
horridum (-us)
|
horridly
prickly
|
Cirsium
horridulum
|
hydro
|
water
|
Hydrocotyle
ranunculoides
|
hymen
|
membrane
|
Hymenocallis
occidentalis
|
I
|
|
|
incarnata
|
flesh-colored
|
Asclepias
incarnata
|
J
|
|
|
japonica
|
Japan
|
Lonicera
japonica
|
L
|
|
|
lac; lactatus (-a)
|
milk (white sap)
|
Lactuca
floridana
|
lacinata (-us)
|
torn
|
Rudbeckia
lacinata
|
laevis
|
smooth
|
|
lanceolata
|
lanceolate
|
Phyla
lanceolata
|
languinosus (-um)
|
wooly
|
Disporum
languinosum
|
latifolia
|
wide-leafed
|
Kalmia
latifolia
|
lepto
|
thin
|
Phyrma
leptostachya
|
leuco
|
white
|
Chrysanthemum
leucanthemum
|
lithos
|
stone
|
Lithospermum
canescens
|
loba
|
lobed
|
Hepatica
acutiloba |
| lochia |
delivery
(birth)
|
Aristolochia
macrophylla |
longi-
|
long
|
|
| luteum (-a) |
yellow
|
Nuphar
luteum
|
lyco
|
wolf
|
Lycopus
americanus
|
|
|
M
|
|
|
|
|
maculata
(-um)
|
spotted |
Hypericum
pseudomaculatum |
|
|
meli
|
honey
|
Melilotus
alba
|
micro
|
small
|
Helianthus
microcephalus |
mille
|
thousand
|
Achillea
millefolium
|
mimus
|
a buffoon
|
Mimulus
ringens
|
mitra
|
a cap
|
Mitella
diphylla
|
mollis
|
soft-hairy
|
Helianthus
mollis
|
mono
|
one turn
|
Monotropa
uniflora
|
montana
|
of the mountains
|
Oxalis
montana
|
multiflora
|
many-flowered
|
Rosa
multiflora
|
N
|
|
|
nana
(-us), (-ellus)
|
dwarf
|
|
natans
|
floating
|
|
nictitans
|
moving
|
Chamaecrista
nictitans
|
nigra (-er)
|
black
|
|
nudi
|
nude, naked
|
|
nutans
|
nodding
|
Carduus
nutans
|
O
|
|
|
| obtusi |
blunt |
Gnaphalium
obtusifolium |
| odoratus, odorus |
fragrant |
Solidago
odora |
| officianal
(-is, -e) |
medicinal |
|
occidentalis
|
western
|
Verbesina
occidentalis
|
| -oides |
like |
Hypericum
hypericoides |
| oxys |
sour, sharp |
Oxalis
grandis |
P
|
|
|
pachys
|
thick
|
Pachysandra
procumbens
|
pallida
(-um)
|
pale
|
Echinacea
pallidum
|
palustris
|
marsh-loving
|
Caltha
palustris
|
patens
|
spreading
|
Aster
patens
|
pediculus (-arius)
|
louse, lousy
|
Pedicularis
canadensis
|
penta
|
five
|
Penstemon
calycosus
|
perfoliata (-us)
|
leaf surrounding stem
|
Triodanis
perfoliata
|
pilosa
(-us)
|
shaggy, with soft hairs
|
|
platy
|
broad
|
Platanthera
cillaris
|
pogon
|
beard
|
|
poly
|
many,
much
|
Polygonum
virginianum
|
pous, pus, pod
|
foot
|
Elephantopus
tomentosus
|
prostratus
(-a)
|
prostrate
|
|
pseudo
|
false
|
Hypericum
pseudomaculatum |
psycodes
|
fragrant
|
Platanthera
psycodes
|
| pterus (-a) |
winged |
|
pubens,
pubescens
|
hairy,
downy
|
Stellaria
pubera |
pulchella (-us)
|
beautiful
|
Gaillardia
pulchella
|
| pulcher |
handsome
|
|
punctata
(-us)
|
spotted
|
|
purpurea
|
purple
|
Ipomoea
purpurea
|
Q
|
|
|
quadra
|
four
|
|
quercifolia
|
oak-leaved
|
Hydrangea
quercifolia
|
| quinque |
five |
Anemone
quinquefolia |
R
|
|
|
radicans
|
rooting
|
Toxicodendron
radicans |
ranunculus
|
little frog
|
Ranunculus
hispidus
|
reflexus
(-a)
|
bent back
|
|
repens,
reptans
|
creeping
|
Mitchella
repens |
rhiza
|
root
|
Xanthorhiza
simplissima
|
rhodo
|
red
|
Rhododendron
viscosum
|
rosa (-eus)
|
rose, red, rosy
|
Streptopus
roseus
|
rotund
|
round
|
Viola
rotundifolia
|
S
|
|
|
sagitta
|
like a spear, arrow
|
Sagittaria
latifolia
|
sanguineus
|
bleeding, blood
|
Sanguinaria
canadensis
|
saponaria
|
soap
|
Gentiana
saponaria
|
sativus
|
cultivated
|
|
| sauros |
lizard
|
Saururus
cernuus |
sempervirens
|
evergreen
|
Lonicera
sempervirens |
serotinus
(-a)
|
late (flowering or ripening)
|
|
sessile
|
without
a stalk (flower or leaf)
|
Diervilla
sessilifolia
|
spectabalis
|
showy, remarkable
|
Galearis
spectabilis
|
spermum
(-a)
|
seed
|
Cardiospermum
halicacabum
|
spinosa
|
very spiny
|
Aralia
spinosa
|
stella
|
star
|
Stellaria
pubera
|
streptos
|
twisted
|
Streptopus
roseus |
stricta (-um)
|
stiff
|
Verbena
stricta |
stylos
|
a column
|
Styloanthes
biflora
|
T
|
|
|
tenui
|
slender
|
Pycanthemum
tenuifloium
|
tetra-
|
four
|
|
tiarella
|
little turban
|
Tiarella
cordifolia
|
tinctoria
|
of dyes
|
Coreopsis
tinctoria
|
tomentotsus (-a)
|
wooly
|
Aristolochia
tomentosa
|
toxic (-o, -um); toxifera
|
poisonous
|
Toxicodendron
radicans
|
tri
|
three
|
Trillium
luteum
|
trope (-a)
|
turn
|
Heliotropium
indicum
|
trifolium
|
three-leafed
|
Trifolium
repens
|
U
|
|
|
uni
|
one, single
|
Monotropa
uniflora
|
V
|
|
|
venenosa
|
very poisonous
|
Angelica
venenosa
|
venosum (-us)
|
veined
|
Hieracium
venosum
|
vernalis
|
of spring
|
Iris
Verna
|
verticillata
|
whorled (leaves)
|
Collinsonia
verticillata
|
villosa (-us)
|
soft-hairy
|
Dioscorea
villosa
|
viridi (-s)
|
green
|
Asclepias
viridis
|
viscosum
|
sticky
|
Rhododendron
viscosum |
vulgaris (-e)
|
common
|
|
X
|
|
|
xanthos
|
yellow
|
Xanthorhiza
simplissima |