Botanical Latin Translations

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(updated 14 February 2026)





Cassia tora L.

Taxonomic history
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Cassia tora in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 376 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
   Today: The current name for this species is Senna tora (L.) Roxb.


original Latin diagnosis
Cassia foliolis trijugatis ovatis: exterioribus majoribus; glandula subulata inter inferiora.

English translation
Cassia with leaflets connected in threes [and] ovate: with the outer [leaflets] larger; [and] with a glandule subulate [and] between the lower [leaflets].



English translation with commentary
Cassia Cassia
with leaflets foliolis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun foliolum, -i
connected in threes trijugatis - perfect passive participle, ablative plural neuter of first conjugation noun trijugo, -are, -avi, -atum; modifies foliolis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
ovate: ovatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective ovatus, -a, -um; modifies foliolis
with the outer [leaflets] exterioribus - ablative plural neuter of comparative degree of group A adjective exter, extera, exterum; modifies foliolis
larger; majoribus - ablative plural neuter of comparative degree of group A adjective magnu, -a, -um; agrees with foliolis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
with a glandule glandula - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun glandula, -ae
subulate subulata - ablative singular feminie of group A adjective subulatus, -a, -um; modifies glandula
[and] [added for smoother reading]
between inter - preposition (takes accusative)
the lower [leaflets]. inferiora - accusative plural neuter of comparative degree of group B adjective inferus, -a, -um; object of inter, agrees with foliolis


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