July Edition of The Herb Cottage Newsletter

BOTANICAL NAMES

Why they're important to learn

It might seem like too much work, unneccesary and even downright pretentious to call your plants by their botanical name.

Chamomile, Matricaria recutita

But, think about it. Botanical names are very specific. Each name refers to only one plant. Especially when discussing herbs for medicinal or therapeutic use, knowing the botanical name is vital. It is a matter of safety.

Nicknames for plants are fun, descriptive and for many people easy to remember. They can evoke childhood memories, an admired plant in a friend's garden or conjure up the picture of the plant in your mind. But, they can cause confusion.

Both the flowers above are known as Bachelor's Buttons.... confusing, isn't it?

Learning some of the basics of the binomial system when referring to plants, especially herbs, also gives you very descriptive names, ways to recognize the plant and distinguish it from all others.

All plants, animals, too, are classified by the binomial system.

Carolus Linnaeus, who gave us Binomial Nomenclature so people speaking different native languages could communicate their scientific information with less confusion.

Picture courtesy of http://linnaeus.nrm.se/botany/fbo/welcome.html.en

Each organism can be uniquely identified by 2 words- the genus and the species. The value of this system is that people who speak in different languages can be sure they are talking about the same plant, for instance, by using the genus and species name in what is now called "modern scientific" Latin.

Coriandrum sativum is cilantro, coriander, Chinese parsley. As you can see there are several common names for the herb, and by using the botanical name, everyone knows exactly what plant we're discussing. 

The Genus describes the group to which all the like plants belong.Mentha is the genus to which all true mints belong. Each mint has its unique species name.

Spearmint is Mentha spicata

Peppermint is Mentha x piperata.

The "x" indicates that this species is a hybrid or cross between two other mints. In the case of peppermint, it is a cross between M. spicata and M. aquatica. When discussing a particular genus, it is common practice to use simply the first letter of the genus so long as it is clear which genus is being referenced. If you see the "x" in a botanical name, seeds from that plant will likely not come true to type. So, beware anyone selling Peppermint Seeds!

Look at this graphic to help you see how the categories narrow down the description to just one plant.

Graphic courtsey ofhttp://www2.estrellamountain.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/biobookdivers_class.html

How do you remember all those Latin names??

I'm often asked.

It's like learning any names. You just learn them. In many instances the botanical name actually gives you a clue as to the characteristics of the plant itself. 

For example: if you see a plant with the species name "alba", that means the flower is white. Here is a short list of some other common colors found in the species name of various plants: 

argenteus- silver, silvery	niger- black
coccineus- scarlet	rubens- red
azureus- sky blue	caeruleus- blue, dark blue
purpureus- purple	violaceus- violet
aureus- gold	luteus-yellow
sempervirens- always green	viridis- green

There are variations on the above words, but these are some very common ones.

Some of the words used for the species name indicate the shape of the leaf, fragrance or taste, markings or how the plant grows. 

alternatus- leaves grow in an alternate pattern on the stem
cordatus- heart shaped	dentatus- toothed
erectus- upright	frutescens- shrubby
globosus- round	reptans- creeping
hirsutus- hairy	pubescens- downy
fulgens- shiny	concolor- evenly colored
variegatus- variegated	humilis- low growing
minor- small	scandens- climbing
tortuosus- meandering	verticalis- vertical

Let's look at a few herb names and see if we can decipher the common name from the Botanical one.

Artemisia vulgaris- OK, this is in the Artemisia genus, and it is known as the common or "vulgar" one. If you guessed "mugwort", you're right! 

Mentha suaveolens- Mint (Mentha), sweet smelling is Apple Mint.

Lavandula dentata- This lavender (Lavandula) has "dentate" or toothed leaves. It's also known as French Lavender. 

Ulmus rubra- Ulmus is the genus for Elm, and rubra means red or reddish. Slippery Elm does have sort of reddish bark.

Anethum graveolens- Anethum is the genus for Dill, and graveolens refers to its strong fragrance.

Trifolium pratense- This  time the  Genus also tells us about the plant. Trifoliummeans 3-leaved, pratense is from the meadow. It's Red Clover! 

Picture courtesy of http://www.uwyo.edu/plantsciences/uwplant/forages/legume/red-clover.html

Pronunciation is sometimes an obstacle to feeling comfortable with botanical names.

No one wants to embarrass themselves in front of another. Just remember that the names are not Latin, but rather 'latinized.' Most people pronounce latinized words as they speak their own language: just by sounding out the syllables.

For more on pronounciation of the botanical names of plants, please go here.

When you learn a little bit about the world of the botanical names of plants, you learn a lot about their characteristics, behavior, time of bloom, leaf markings and more. Don't be afraid of the botanical names of your plants. Learn to read them and know you're learning more about the herbs and plants we love.

For more information about the botanical names of plants, there is a book called A Gardener's Latin from the Editors of Country Living Gardener Magazine. 

QUOTE FOR THE MONTH

A book is a version of the world. If you do not like it, ignore it; or offer your own version in return.
-Salman Rushdie, writer (b. 1947) 

Until Next Time,
Good Growing to You,
Cindy Meredith, proprietor
The Herb Cottage
442 CR 233
Hallettsville, TX 77964
phone & fax: 979-562-2153, cell: 361-258-1192
email: cindy@theherbcottage.com
http://theherbcottage.com/
Visit Cindy's Blog at http://theherbcottage.blogspot.com/