PRONOUNCING DICTIONARY 



OF PLANT NAMES 



Reprinted from 



COPYRIGHT 1904, FLORISTS* PUBLISHING CO. 



Frequent inquiry as to the correct pro 

 nunciation of plant names has led us 

 to compile the following list of names, 

 selecting those in most common use in 

 the trade, and including botanical terms 

 most frequently met with in articles upon 

 plant culture. 



As many names of plants are derived 

 from Greek roots, we feel sure the follow 

 ing brief list of Greek root words, cover 

 ing only those most readily recognized 

 in names in common use, will be helpful. 



Ampelos A vine. 

 Anthemon A flower. 

 Anthera An anther. 

 Argyros Silver. 

 Bios Life. 

 Botrys A cluster. 

 Brachys Short. 

 Galos Beautiful . 

 Cephale A head. 

 Ohamae Dwarf. 

 Chlamys A cloak. 

 Chloros Green. 

 Chroma Color. 

 Chrysos Gold. 

 Codon A bell. 

 Cyanos Dark blue. 

 Cyathos A cup. 

 Dactylos A finger. 

 Deca Ten. 

 Derma Skin. 

 Didymos T win . 

 Dolichos Long. 

 Dory A spear. 

 Dracon A dragon. 

 Echinos A hedgehog. 

 Erythros Red. 

 Gala Milk. 

 Glossa A tongue. 

 Glottis A mouth. 

 Gonos Offspring. 

 Gyne A woman. 

 Hedys Sweet. 

 Helios The sun. 

 Hemera Day. 



Hemi Half. 

 Hesperos Evening. 

 Hymen -Marriage . 

 Hyper Above. 

 Hypo Beneath. 

 Lycos A wolf. 

 Macros Long. 

 Micros Little. 

 Monos One. 

 Myrios Countless. 

 Nephros A kidney. 

 Odontos A tooth. 

 Ornithos A bird 

 Oxys Sharp. 

 Pachys Thick. 

 Pedilon A shoe. 

 Peri Round. 

 Petalon A petal. 

 Philos Fond. 

 Phlebos A vein. 

 Phyllon A leaf. 

 Phyton A plant. 

 Platys Broad. 

 Pogon A beard. 

 Polys Many. 

 Podos A foot. 

 Pteris A fern. 

 Pyros Fire. 

 Rhinos The nose. 

 Rhiza A root. 

 Rhodon A rose. 

 Rops A shrub. 

 Sciados -An umbrella. 

 Sideros Iron . 

 Siphon A tube. 

 Solen A pipe. 

 Soros A heap. 

 Spira A coil. 

 Sporo A seed. 

 Stemma A wreath. 

 Stichos A row. 

 Stoma The mouth. 

 Stylos A column. 

 Trichos Hair. 



With this help to an understanding of 

 the construction of plant names derived 



from Greek roots, we will proceed to pro 

 nunciation. This is a matter upon which 

 the best authorities are apt to disagree, 

 in spite of the great amount of study 

 that has been devoted to the subject. 

 Though the greater part of our list of 

 plant names has been derived from Greek 

 and Latin, many other languages have 

 been drawn upon, including those spoken 

 by barbarous peoples, and no present 

 day scholar can be positive as to the 

 correct pronunciation of many names. 



But all we of the trade desire is to 

 know the pronunciation adopted by the 

 best authorities, that we may have uni 

 formity among ourselves. Our principal 

 authorities in the compilation of this list 

 have been The Century Dictionary and 

 the Pronouncing Dictionary in Nicholson s 

 Dictionary of Gardening. Other dic 

 tionaries have been consulted, but the 

 two mentioned have, in practically 

 every case, determined the pronunciation 

 adopted in this list. 



Where these two happened to radically 

 disagree, preference has generally been 



f ven to the pronunciation adopted by 

 he Century. 



It may be well to add that of the two 

 systems presented by Nicholson s Diction 

 ary, we have drawn from the Old 

 Style.&quot; The &quot; New Style&quot; may be of 

 interest to students, but it will never be 

 current in trade circles. 



In our list we have used the following 



Key to Pronunciation. 



The syllables to be accented are marked 

 thus . &quot; 



