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A Portable Latin for Gardeners

More than 1,500 Essential Plant Names and the Secrets They Contain

Having an understanding of botanical Latin unlocks an entirely new layer of the plant world. Gardeners deciding between a Crocus flavus and Crocus graveolens will know that one produces deep yellow flowers while the other boasts a prominent smell. They can tell whether a plant should have one (unifolius), two (diphyllus), or even nine leaves (enneaphyllus). And they can catch the nods to Sir Joseph Banks in Cordyline banksia and Queen Victoria in Agave victoriae-reginae.
A Portable Latin for Gardeners is the perfect quick reference for working in the garden, shopping for plants, or doing botanical research—and no prior knowledge of Latin is required. The 1,500 terms are grouped by categories, making it easy to describe color, size, form, habitat, scent, taste, and time. Gardeners will make new connections and discoveries in a way standard alphabetical lists simply don’t allow. Alternately, gardeners who want to look up a particular term can jump right into the alphabetical index. Each entry includes the different forms of the term, a basic pronunciation guide, the definition, and an example plant species.
Rich botanical illustrations make this guide as beautiful as it is useful, while a durable flexi-bound cover means the book can withstand both days in the garden and evenings on the nightstand.

160 pages | 200 color plates | 5 3/4 x 7 1/2 | © 2017

Biological Sciences: Botany, Natural History

Reference and Bibliography

Table of Contents

Introduction
How to use this book
A brief guide to plant names

CHAPTER ONE
COLOR

Light colors
Bright colors
Dark colors and multicolors

CHAPTER TWO
PLANT FORM

Habit
Spreading growth
Size
Shape

CHAPTER THREE
FEATURES OF PLANTS

Flowers
Leaves
Fruit
Stems and shoots
Texture and thorns
Taste and smell
Additional features

CHAPTER FOUR
COMPARISONS

Animals
Man-made objects
Natural objects
Appearance of other plants
Leaves of other plants

CHAPTER FIVE
PLACES AND PEOPLE

Europe
Asia
North and South America
Other areas of the world
Plant habitats
People

CHAPTER SIX
IDEAS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND PROPERTIES

Animal associations
Useful properties
Good qualities
Bad qualities
Relationships
Aspects of time
Further concepts
Other names as names
A–Z Index
Credits

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