Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Eriophorum polystachion in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 52.
today: The current name for this species is Eriophorum angustifolium (L.) Roth
original Latin diagnosis
Eriophorum culmis teretibus, foliis planis spicatis pedunculatis.
English translation
Eriophorum with culms circular in cross-section; [and] with leaves flat, spicate, [and] pedunculate.
| Eriophorum | Eriophorum |
| with culms | culmis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun culmus, -i |
| circular in cross-section; | teretibus - ablative plural masculine of group B adjective teres, -es, -e; modifies culmis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with leaves | foliis - ablative plural of second declension of neuter noun folium, folii |
| flat, | planis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective planus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| spicate, | spicatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective spicatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| pedunculate. | pedunculatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective pedunculatis, -a, -um; modifies foliis |