Botanical Latin Translations

a project of
V. F. Thomas Co. - P. O. Box 84 - Hulls Cove, Maine  04644
info@vfthomas.com

(updated 22 May 2024)





Veronica spuria L.

Taxonomic history:
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Veronica spuria in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 10.
   today: The current name for this species is Veronica spuria L.


original Latin description
Veronica spicis terminalibus, foliis ternis aequaliter serratis.

English translation
Veronica with spikes terminal; with leaves in threes [and] equally serrate.


English translation with commentary
Veronica Veronica
with spikes spicis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun spica, -ae
terminal; terminalibus - ablative plural feminine of group B adjective terminalis, -is, -e; modifies spicis
with leaves foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i
in threes ternis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective terni, -ae, -a; agrees with foliis
[and] added for smooher reading
equally aequaliter - adverb
serrate. serratis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective serratus, -a, -um; agrees with foliis


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