Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Scirpus dichotomous in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 50.
today: The current name for this species is Fimbristylis dichotoma (L.) Vahl
original Latin diagnosis
Scirpus culmo triquetro nudo, umbella decomposita, spicis dichotomiae sessilibus.
English translation
Scirpus with the culm three-angled [and] bare; with an umbel separated into pieces; [and] with spikes divided into two parts [and] sessile.
| Scirpus | Scirpus |
| with the culm | culmo - ablative singular of second declension masculine noun culmus, -i |
| three-angled | triquetro - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective triquetrus, -a, -um; modifies culmo |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| bare; | nudo - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective nudus, -a, -um; modifies culmo |
| with an umbel | umbella - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun umbella, -ae |
| separated into pieces; | decomposita - ablative singular feminine of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb decompono, decomponere, decomposui, decompositum; modifies umbella |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with spikes | spicis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun spica, -ae |
| divided into two parts | dichotomiae - ablative plural of group A adjective dichotomus, -a, -um; modifies spicis |
| [and] | [and added for smoother reading] |
| sessile. | sessilibus - ablative plural of group B adjective sessilis, -is, -e; modifies spicis |