Salvia mexicana

Botanical Latin Translations

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(updated 5 October 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

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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