Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_42.gif)
Friday - September 02, 2011
From: Plainville, IL
Region: Midwest
Topic: General Botany
Title: Dictionary of botanical names
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I am looking for an online resource that will tell me what the botanical names mean, for example, Cornus florida. Why is it named that? Surely somewhere there is information that explains the meaning of each. I have a list of botanical names I would like to look up. Thank you for your time and consideration.ANSWER:
Here are several sites with definitions of botanical names:
Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
Botanary on Dave's Garden webpage.
The Meaning of Latin Plant Names from the SeedSite.
This next link is a group of short biographies of people whose names appear in the botanical names of Eastern Sierra plants:
These last two links tells how the Latin names are formed:
Botanical Binomials — What Do Plant Names Mean?
What Scientific Names of Plants Mean
Finally, here are three excellent paper resources:
Gledhill, David. The Names of Plants. 4th edition. 2008. Cambridge University Press. Older editions often can be found at secondhand book stores.
Stearn, William. Botanical Latin. 4th edition. 2004. Timber Press.
Borror, Donald. Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms. 1960. McGraw-Hill.
More General Botany Questions
The most important part of growing plants.
February 21, 2008 - In your opinion what is the most important part of growing plants.
view the full question and answer
Native New Jersey plants to remove iron water from Lawrenceville NJ
October 20, 2012 - Are there any native New Jersey plants that can remove iron water
view the full question and answer
Process of transpiration in plants
November 21, 2005 - I'm in 6th grade and I have a science project to do and the question is, Do living plants give off moisture. The first part of my project is to explain how living plants give off moisture. I've chec...
view the full question and answer
Least common flower color
June 14, 2008 - What is the least common flower color in the world?
view the full question and answer
What is white sticky substance in the Mandevilla vine?
June 15, 2012 - When I was watering my Mandevilla one of the vines broke and there was a white, sticky substance that came out of the vine. I was just curious as to what that is.
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |