Asparagus retrofractus

Botanical Latin Translations

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(updated 16 November 2025)

Asparagus retrofractus L.

Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Asparagus retrofractus in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 313 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
today: The current name for this species is Asparagus retrofractus L.

original Latin description
Asparagus aculeis solitariis, ramis reflexis retrofractisque, foliis fasciculatis.

English translation
Asparagus with spines soltary; with branches bent back and twisted; [and] with leaves fascicled.

English translation with commentary

Asparagus Asparagus

with spines aculeis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun aculeus, -i

solitary; solitariis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective solitarius, -a, -um; modifies aculeis

with branches ramis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun ramus, -i

bent back reflexis - ablative plural masculine of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb reflecto, reflectere, reflexi, reflexum; modifies ramis

[and] [added for smoother reading]

twisted; retrofractis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective retrofractus, -a, -um; modifies ramis

[and] [added for smoother reading]

with leaves foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i

fascicled. fasciculatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective fasciculatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis

For a list of botanical Latin translations, please click here. To access the Species Plantarum concordance, please click here.

Asparagus	Asparagus
with spines	aculeis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun aculeus, -i
solitary;	solitariis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective solitarius, -a, -um; modifies aculeis
with branches	ramis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun ramus, -i
bent back	reflexis - ablative plural masculine of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb reflecto, reflectere, reflexi, reflexum; modifies ramis
[and]	[added for smoother reading]
twisted;	retrofractis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective retrofractus, -a, -um; modifies ramis
[and]	[added for smoother reading]
with leaves	foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i
fascicled.	fasciculatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective fasciculatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis