Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Pinus balsamea in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 1002.
1754: Philip Miller created the genus Abies in the 4th edition of The Gardeners Dictionary.
1768: Philip Miller, in The Gardeners Dictionary, 8th edition. Abies no. 3., transferred Pinus balsamea to the genus Abies.
today: The current name for this species is Abies balsamea (L.) P. Mill.
Original Latin description:
Pinus foliis solitariis subemarginatis: subtus linea duplici punctata.
English translation:
Pinus with leaves solitary [and] subemarginate; below with a line double [and] dotted.
English translation with commentary:
Pinus | Pinus |
with leaves | foliis - ablative plural of 2nd declension neuter noun folium, -i |
solitary | solitariis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective solitarius, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
[and] | added for smoother reading |
subemarginate; | subemarginatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective subemarginatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
below | subtus - adverb |
with a line | linea - ablative singular of 1st declension feminine noun linea, -ae |
double | duplici - ablative singular feminine of group B adjective duplex, duplex, duplex; modifies linea |
[and] | added for smoother reading |
dotted. | punctata - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective punctatus, -a, -um; modifies linea |