This page will demystify
scientific plant names and teach you how plant names can help you understand
the plants. It will also guide you in the correct pronunciation of many
of the scientific plant names.
Scientific plant names
are used throughout the world, as they are more accurate than the common
plant name. Common plant names can apply to different plants in different
parts of the country even different parts of the world. Although these
plants may share the same common name, they may require different growing
conditions and perform differently. That is why it is important to have
an identification system that is as precise as possible. However, these
scientific plant names are derived from Latin and Greek, therefore the
pronunciation of scientific plant names sometimes seems difficult. We
have selected a list of scientific plant names and have provided a pronunciation
for each name to give you a guide as to how to pronounce scientific plant
names.
Scientific plant names
can also help you to understand the plants. The first part of a scientific
plant name is the genus name, which is usually a classical name. The second
part is the species name, which is usually a descriptive word that can
be deciphered. A good example of this is the scientific plant name Sollya
heterophylla. In this case heterophylla can be broken up into hetero,
which means heterogeneous or various, and phylla which means leaves. This
tells you that heterophylla means various-size leaves. Sollya heterophylla
has various sized leaves in that some are lanceolate and others are oblong.
Pronouncing plant names
Below is a list of scientific plant names
and their pronunciation.
- Abelia - uh-BEE-lee-uh
- Artemisia - AHR-tuh-MEE-zee-uh
- Baccharis - BAK-uh-ris
- Bougainvillea - boo-guhn-VIL-e-uh
- Callistephus - ka-LIS-tee-fuhs
- Cattleya - KAT-lee-uh
- Ceratostigma - sair-uh-toe-STIG-muh
- Cheiranthus - kye-RAN-thus
- Convolvulus - Kon-VOL-vew-luhs
- Crataegus - kruh-TEE-guhs
- Dieffenbachia - deef-uhn-BAK-ee-uh
- Dryopteris - drye-OP-ter-uhs
- Epiphyllum - ep-uk-FIL-uhm
- Fraxinus - FRAK-suh-nuhs
- Gleditsia - gluh-DIT-see-uh
- Heteromeles - het-uh-roe-MEE-leez
- Kniphofia - nip-HOE-fee-uh
- Metrosideros - MET-roe-SID-uh-ruhs
- Osteospermum - os-tee-oe-SPUR-muhm
- Platycladus - plat-i-CLAD-uhs
- Sinningia - si-NIN-jee-uh
- Tigridia - tye-GRID-ee-uh
- Tradescantia - trad-es-KAN-shee-uh
- Vancouveria - van-koo-VEE-ree-uh
- Xylosma - zye-LOZ-muh
- Zantedeschia - zan-tuh-DES-kee-uh
- Zephyranthes - zef-i-RAN-theez
- Zoysia - ZOY-see-uh
