Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Verbena nodiflora in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 20.
today: The current name for this species is Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene
original Latin diagnosis
Verbena tetrandra, spicis capitato-conicis, foliis serratis, caule repente.
English translation
Verbena four-stamened, with spikes capitate-conical; with leaves serrate; [and] with a stem creeping.
| Verbena | Verbena |
| four-stamened, | tetrandra - nominative singular feminine of group A adjective tetrandrus, -a, -um; modifies Verbena |
| with spikes | spicis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun spica, -ae |
| capitate-conical; | capitato-conicis - capitato- (combining form of group A adjective capitatus, -a, -um) + conicis (ablative plural feminine of group A adjective conicus, -a, -um); modifies spicis |
| with leaves | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, folii |
| serrate; | serratis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective serratus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with a stem | caule - ablative singular of third declension neuter noun caulis, caulis |
| creeping. | repente - present active poarticiple, ablative singular masculine of third conjugation verb repo, repere, repsi, —; modifies caule |