The Names of Plants

Glossary sarmentaceus -a -um, sarmentosus -a -um with long slender stolons or runners, sarmentum brushwood sarmentus -a -um twiggy, like brushwood, sarmentum, sarmenti sarniensis -is -e, sarnius -a -um from Guernsey (Sarnia), Channel Isles saro- broom-like-, sarow (to sweep) sarothamni of broom, living on Sarothamnus (Asphondylia, dipteran gall midge) Sarothamnus Broom-shrub, sarow-qamnoj Sarracenia for Dr Michel Sarrazan (d. 1734), who introduced Sarracenia purpurea from Quebec (Sarraceniaceae) sarrachoides from a Brazilian name for another solanaceous genus named for Isidore Saracha (1733–1803), a Benedictine monk who sent plants to Madrid’s Royal Gardens, Saracha-oides sarsaparilla from the Mexican-Spanish, zarza-parilla, prickly little vine sartorii for Andria del Sarto (1486–1531); of tailors, sartor, sartoris Sasa the Japanese name for certain dwarf bamboos Sasaella Little-dwarf-bamboo, feminine diminutive of Sasa Sasamorpha Sasa-shaped, botanical Latin from Sasa and morfh sasanqua from the Japanese name for the tea-oil-producing Camellia Sassafras from the Spanish name, salsafras, for its medicinal use in breaking bladder and kidney stones (cognate with Saxifraga) satanas the devil’s, Satan’s, satan, satanoj (the devil’s Boletus) Satanocrater Satan’s-bowl, satanoj-krathr; or Satan’s-sin satanoides resembling (Boletus) satanas sathro- humus-, decayed-, perishable-, saqroj, saqrosatis -is -e tolerable, enough, satis, sat; some suggest rather better than adequate sativus -a -um planted, cultivated, not wild, sown, sero, serere, sevi, satum sativus-atrocaeruleus -a -um cultivated dark blue, sativus-(ater, atri)-caeruleus satsumanus -a -um from Satsuma peninsula, Kyushu, SW Japan saturativirens green as grass, full-deep-green, (satio, satiare, satiavi, satiatum)-virens saturatus -a -um of intense, full or mixed colouring, satio, satiare, satiavi, satiatum Satureia, Satureja the Latin name, satureia, satureiorum in Pliny for a culinary herb, from the Arabic, sattur, savory satureioides, saturejoides resembling Satureia, Satureia-oides satyrioides resembling Satyrium, Satyrium-oides Satyrium Dioscorides’ name for an orchid (in mythology, Satyrion was a drunken woodland god) Saundersia for William Wilson Saunders FRS (1809–79), of London saundersiae, saundersii for Mrs Kathleen Saunders (1824–1901), botanical artist in S Africa saur-, sauro- lizard-like-, lizard-, saura, sauroj, sauroSaurauia (Saurauja) for Fr. J von Saurau (1760–1832), Italian botanist saurocephalus -a -um lizard-headed, sauro-kefalh (colouration) Sauromatum Lizard, sauroj (the inner surface of the spathe suggests lizard skin) Saururus Lizard-tail, sauro-oura (Saururaceae) saurus -a -um of lizards, saura, sauroj (sauroxwrew, fruit or seed dispersal by lizards) Saussurea for Horace Bénédict de Saussure (1740–99), Swiss geologist who coined the name geology for his studies in the Alps, and author of Voyages dans les Alpes.

His son was Nicolas Théodore de Saussure (1767–1845), who confirmed Hale’s discoveries on photosynthesis of carbon dioxide Sauvagesia for François Boissier de Sauvages (1706–67), Professor of Botany at Montpellier savaganus -a -um of the wild woods, from Latin silvaticus, via French, sauvage savannarus -a um of savannas, from Taino, zavana; or from Savannah, Georgia, USA savin from Pliny’s name, herba Sabina, Sabine herb, for Juniperus sabina, which was used to procure abortions 341