Botanical Latin Translations

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(updated 21 December 2025)





Crassula orbicularis L.

Taxonomic history
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Crassula orbicularis in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 283 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
   Today: The current name for this species is Crassula orbicularis L.


original Latin diagnosis
Crassula caule flaccido prolifero determinate-folioso, foliis patentissimis imbricatis.

English translation
Crassula with a stem flaccid, bearing offshoots, determinately leafy; [and] with leaves spreading [and] imbricate.



English translation with commentary
Crassula Crassula
with a stem caule - ablative singular of third declension masculine noun caulis, caulis
flaccid, flaccido - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective flaccidus, -a, -um; modifies caule
bearing offshoots, prolifero - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective prolifer, prolifera, proliferum; modifies caule
[and] [added for smoother reading]
determinately determinate - adverb; modifies folioso
leafy; folioso - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective foliosus, -a, -um; modifies caule
[and] [added for smoother reading]
with leaves foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i
very spreading patentissimis - ablative plural neuter of present active participal of second conjugation verb pateo, -ere, -ui, —; modifies foliis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
imbricate. imbricatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective imbricatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis


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