By Henry Flowers
Aloe ferox – cape aloe (very thorny)
In continuing with our look at Latin used in botanical names (click here for our previous post), here are some words that are used to describe texture:
anthocomus, schidigera, spinosus—spiny
acicularis—needle-like
aculeatus, echinatus, horridus, hystrix—prickly
anacanthus—lacking prickles or thorns
arachnoides—cobwebby
armatus—thorny
aspericaulis/asperifolius—rough-stemmed/rough-leaved
barbatus—barbed or bearded
cartilaginous—cartilage-like in texture
cerefolius/ceraceus—waxy-leaved
copallinus, gummosus, resinosus, viscosus—sticky – gummy – resinous
durus—hard
eriophorous, lanigera, lanatus, tomentosus—wooly
Anthriscus cerefolium – chervil
exudans—producing sticky secretions
ferox—ferociously thorny
fulgens—shining
furfuraceus—scurfy – flaking – scaly
glaber, laevigatus, laevis—smooth, polished
hebephyllus—with downy leaves
hirsutus, hirtus/hirsutissimus—hairy / very hairy
mucosus—slimy
papyraceous—papery
pustulatus—covered in blisters or pimples
rugosus—wrinkled
scaber/scaberrimus—rough/very rough
succulentus—fleshy
undulatus—wavy
Penstemon barbatus – beardtongue
Here are a few plant names in which some of these words are used:
Acanthus spinosus – spiny bear’s breeches
Glycyrrhiza glabra – licorice
Penstemon barbatus – beardtongue
Rosa rugosa – rugosa or “wrinkle-leaved” rose
Photo Credits: 1) Aloe ferox, cape aloe (courtesy of the author); 2) Anthriscus cerefolium, chervil (courtesy of the author); 3) Penstemon barbatus, beartongue (Sten Porse)
Henry Flowers is a graduate of Texas A&M University and holds both Bachelor and Master of Agriculture degrees in Horticulture. He is currently a horticulturist with Glasco & Co. Landscaping in Brenham, TX, where he enjoys doing a wide variety of tasks. He worked for the Antique Rose Emporium for 12 years and was Garden Director at the Round Top Festival Institute for 16 years, where he worked with Madalene Hill and oversaw a variety of display gardens with the support of a large number of volunteers and also coordinated a variety of educational garden-related events. At home, he and his wife, Melissa, grow a wide variety of herbs that they enjoy for their beauty and usefulness in the kitchen. He is a lifetime member of The Herb Society of America and was the 2009 recipient of The HSA’s Joanna McQuail Reed Award for the Artistic Use of Herbs.
