Taxonomic history
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Gladiolus capitatus in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 37 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Aristea capitata (L.) Ker-Gawl.
original Latin diagnosis
Gladiolus caule ramoso, capitulis pedunculatis, radice tuberosa.
English translation
Gladiolus with stem branched; with capitula pedunculate; [and] with the root tuberous.
| Gladiolus | Gladiolus |
| with stem | caule - ablative singular of third declension masculine noun caulis, caulis |
| branched; | ramoso - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective ramosus, -a, -um; modifies caule |
| with capitula | capitulis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun capitulum, -i |
| pedunculate; | pedunculatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective pedunculatus, -a, -um; modifies capitulis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with the root | radice - ablative singular of third declension feminine noun radix, radicis |
| tuberous. | tuberosa - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective tuberosus, -a, -um |