Botanical Latin Translations

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(updated 28 December 2024)





Iris virginica L.

Taxonomic history:
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Iris virginica in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 39.
   today: The current name for this species is Iris virginica L.


original Latin diagnosis
Iris corollis imberbibus, germinibus trigonis, caule ancipiti.

English translation
Iris with corollas beardless; with ovaries trigonous; [and] with stem two-edged.



English translation with commentary
Iris Iris
with corollas corollis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun corolla, -ae
beardless; imberbibus - ablative plural feminine of group B adjective imberbis, -is, -e; modifies corollis
with ovaries germinibus - ablative plural of third declension neuter noun germen, germinis
trigonous; trigonis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective trigonus, -a, -um; modifies germinibus
[and] [added for smoother reading]
with stem caule - ablative singular of third declension masculine noun caulis, caulis
two-edged. ancipiti - ablative singular of group B adjective anceps, anceps, anceps; modifies caule


For a list of botanical Latin translations, please click here.         To access the Species Plantarum concordance, please click here.