Latin Terms
abbreviatus -Short
acuminatus – Long tapering (gradually narrowed) point
acutifolius – Having sharp leaves
adpressus – Pressed together, pressed against
adscendens – Rising, going up
aerius – Of the air, as air-roots
affinus – Related, connected, having an affinity
africanus – From Africa
alatus – Winged
albescens – Pale, whitish
albidus, albus – White
albiflorus – Having white flowers
alpinus – Of the alpines, mountains
alternus – Alternating, not directly opposite
altus – Altitude, tall
amabilis – Amiable, lovely
amphibius – Adaptable either to land or water
angulosus – Angled, turning every which way
angustifolius – With narrow leaves (rarely used term, more commonly used one is nerifolius)
aquaticus – Of the water, water-loving
arborescens – Growing like a tree, woody like a tree
arenatius – Found in sandy places
argenteus, argentus – Silvery
aristatus – Bearded
arrectus – Straight up, erect
ascendens – Going up, ascending
asiaticus, asiatus – From Asia
atlanticus – Atlantic
atropurpureus, atropurpurea – Purple colour, sometimes also used for dark red
atrosanguineus – Dark blood-red
atroviolaceus – Dark violet
atrovirens – Dark green
augustus – Important in size or appearance, imposing
aurantiacus – Orange-red
aureus – Golden
azureus – Light blue, azure
babylonicus – Babylonian, from Babylon
balticus – From the Baltic
bengalinis – From Bengal
biennis – Biennial
biflorus – Two flowered
bifolius – Two leaved
brefolius– With short leaves
brevis – Short
brevisimus – Very short
brillian – Brilliant
brittanicus – From Britain
brunneus – Brown
bulgarius – Bulgarian
buxifolius – With leaves like a boxwood, box-leaved
calamifolius – With reed-like leaves
californicus – From California
campestris – Found in fields
candelabrum – Having the form of a candelabra
candicans – White or frosty looking
catitatus – Headed
carneus – Flesh-colored
cerefolius – With waxy leaves
coccineus – Bright red
coloratus – Colored
columnaris – Having the form of a column
concolor – Similar coloring
conglomeratus – All close together
contortus – Twisted, contorted
cordatus – Heart-shaped
cornutus, cornuta – Horned
crassifolius – With thick leaves
crenatus – Serrated
cuspidatus – Sharp tooth, or hard point
deformis – Deformed
deliciosus, deliciosa – Delicious
dendroideus – Like a tree
densatus – Dense
densifolius – With dense leaves
densiflorus – With dense flowers
dentatus – Toothed, with a series of points
dipterus – Two-winged
discolor – Of two or several colors
dissectus – Deeply cut leaves, an in fern-leaved maple
divaricatus – Spreading
domesticus – Domesticated
edulis – Can be eaten
elatus, elata – Tall
elegans – Elegant, graceful
elongatus – Long
erectus – Upright
excelsius, excelsus – Tall
exoticus, exotica – From another country
fastigiatus – Having nearly vertical, close-together branches
ferox – Fierce, thorny
flaccidus – Soft, limp
flammeus – Flame-colored
flexilis – Bendable, flexible
florepleno – With double flowers
florebundus – With many flowers
foetidus – Bad-smelling, having a fetid odor
fragrans – Sweet-smelling, fragrant
fragrantissimus – Very sweet-smelling
frutescens – Bushy, shrubby, twiggy
gallicus – From Gaul (France), may also pertain to a rooster
giganticus – Large, gigantic
glaucus – With a frost-like bloom, as on a grape
gloriosus, gloriosa – Great, superb
gracilis – Slender, graceful, lissome
grandifolius – With large leaves
grandiflora – With large flowers
gutatus – Freckled
haemanthus – Bright red flowers
humilis – Dwarf, low ilicifolius holly-like leaves
japonicus – From Japan
lancifolius – With lance-like leaves
latifolius – With broad leaves
leptolepis – With thin scales
leptophyllus – With thin leaves
leucodermis – With white skin
lobularuis – Lobed
luteus – Yellow
macranthus – With large flowers
maximus – The largest
medius – Medium
megalophyllus – With very large leaves
microphyllus – With very small leaves
minimus – Very small
mollis – Hairy, fuzzy
myriophyllus – With many leaves
nacro – Big, long, large
nanus, nana – Dwarf, small
nerifolius, nerifolia, – With narrow leaves
niger – Black
nodulosa – With small nodes
nudifolia – Deciduous, naked of leaves
oblongatus – Oblong, oval
officinalis – Medicinal
orientalis – Oriental
parviflorus – With small flowers
parvifolia – With small leaves
patens – Spreading
pinous – Line-like
podocarpus – With stalked fruits
polydactylus – With many fingers
porphyreus – Purple
praecox – Very early
procumbens – Procumbent, lying down
pumilus – Dwarf, small
pygmaeus – Pygmy
pyramidalis – Pyramidal
repens – Creeping, low
reticulatus – With a netted pattern
robustus – Strong, robust
rosea florus – With rose-like flowers
rotundifolius – With round leaves
scandens – Climbing
semperflorens – Everblooming
sempervirens – Always green
serpens – Creeping
serpyllifolius – With thyme-like leaves
serratus – With a saw tooth edge
stolenifera – With runners that root and send up another plant
strictus – Erect
sylvaticus – Of the forest
tenuifolius – With slender leaves
tomentosus – Very wooly
tridens – With three teeth or points
variegatus – Variegated
verrucosus – Warty
virens – Green
virginianus – Of Virginia, first defined in Virginia
viridis – Green
vulgaris – Common, vulgar, ordinary
xanthinus – Yellow
zonalis – Banded
