Botanical Latin Translations

a project of
V. F. Thomas Co. - P. O. Box 84 - Hulls Cove, Maine  04644
info@vfthomas.com

(updated 27 January 2026)





Euphorbia peplus L.

Taxonomic history:
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Euphorbia peplus in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 456.
   today: The current name for this species is Euphorbia peplus L.


original Latin diagnosis
Euphorbia umbella trifida: dichotoma, involucellis ovatis, foliis integerrimis obovatis petiolatis.

English translation
Euphorbia with an umbel three-cleft [and] dichotomous; with involucels ovate; [and] with leaf blades/leaves entire, ovate, [and] petiolate.


English translation with commentary
Euphorbia Euphorbia
with an umbel umbella - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun umbella, -ae
three-cleft trifida - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective trifidus, -a, -um; modifies umbella
[and] [added for smoother reading]
dichotomous; dichotoma - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective dichotomus, -a, -um; modifies umbella
with involucels involucellis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun involucellum, -i
ovate ovatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective ovatus, -a, -um; modifies involucellis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
with leaf blades foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i
entire, integerrimis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective integerrimus, -a, -um; modifies foliis
obovate, obovatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective obovatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
[with leaves] petiolate. petiolatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective petiolatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis



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