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 |