Botanical Latin Translations

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(updated 7 November 2024)





Salvia mexicana L.

Taxonomic history:
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Salvia mexicana in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 25.
   today: The current name for this species is Salvia mexicana L.


original Latin diagnosis
Salvia foliis ovatis utrinque acuminatis serratis.

English translation
Salvia with leaf blades ovate, on both sides, acuminate [and] serrate.


English translation with commentary
Salvia Salvia
with leaf blades foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, folii
ovate, ovatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective ovatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis
on both sides, utrinque - adverb; [to be determined: What did Linnaeus mean by saying that leaf blades are ovate [or acuminate] “on both sides”?]
acuminate, acuminatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective acuminatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
serrate. serratis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective serratus, -a, -um; modifies foliis



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