Taxonomic history
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Potentilla verna in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 498 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Potentilla grandiflora L.
original Latin diagnosis
Potentilla foliis radicalibus quinatis acute serratis, caulinis ternatis, caule declinato.
English translation
Potentilla with leaves arising from the root [with blades] in five parts [and] sharply serrate; with [leaves] arising from the stem ternate; [and] with a stem sloped downward.
| Potentilla | Potentilla |
| with leaves | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| arising from the root | radicalibus - ablative plural neuter of group B adjective radicalis, -is, -e; modifies foliis |
| [with blades] in five parts | quinquatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective quinquatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| sharply | acute - adverb; modifies serratis |
| serrate; | serratis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective serratus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| with [leaves] arising from the stem | caulinis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective caulinus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| ternate; | ternatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective ternatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with a stem | caule - ablative singular of third declension masculine noun caulis, caulis |
| sloped downward. | declinato - ablative singular masculine of perfect passive participle of first conjugation verb declino, -are, -avi, -atum; modifies caule |