Whats in a Name Where am I

What’s in a Name? Where am I?

Flora, Plant Nerd, The Scoop

Latin plant names can often refer to the location where the plant grows or was first found, given that many plants were traded well before they were ascribed scientific names it can get a little confusing.

Formosa –  Japan

Sinense –  China

Brasiliensis –  Brazil

Moluccana – Moluccas Islands,Indonesia which makes Eucalyptus moluccana (Coastal Grey Box) a little confusing as it’s home range is north east New South Wales roughly from the Newcastle area, it was mistakenly listed by William Roxborough (1832) as a native of the Molucca Islands

Canadensis – Canada

Americanum – America

Benghalensis – Bengal (India)

Camaldulensis – As in Eucalyptus camaldulensis (River Red Gum) named after L’Hortus Camaldulensis di Napoli a private garden in Naples, Italy from where the species was first described

Orientalis – from the East (not necessarily China)

Occidentalis – from the West

Notos – from the South