Botanical Latin Translations

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(updated 9 November 2025)





Arum sagittaefolium L.

Taxonomic history:
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Arum sagittaefolium in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 966 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
   Today: The current name for this species is Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott


original Latin diagnosis
Arum acaule, foliis sagittatis triangulis: angulis divaricatis acutis.

English translation
Arum stemless, with leaf blades sagittate [and] triangular: [and] with angles [of ?] spread out [and] acute.



English translation with commentary
Arum Arum
stemless; acaule - nominative singular neuter of group B adjective acaulis, -is, -e; modifies Arum
with leaf blades foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i
sagittate sagittatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective sagittatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
triangular; triangulis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective triangulus, -a, -um; modifies foliis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
with angles angulis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun angulus, -i
divaricate divaricatis - ablative plural masculine of perfect passive participle of first conjugation verb divarico, -are, -avi, -atum; modifies angulis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
acute. acutis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective acutus, -a, -um; modifies angulis


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