Botanical Latin Translations

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(updated 19 January 2026)





Musa paradisiaca L.

Taxonomic history
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Musa paradisiaca in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 1043 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
   Today: The current name for this species is Musa ×paradisiaca L.


original Latin diagnosis
Musa spadice nutante.

English translation
Musa with a spadix nodding.



English translation with commentary
Musa Musa
with a spadix spadice - ablative singular of third declension masculine noun spadix, spadicis
nodding. nutante - ablative singular masculine of present active participle of first conjugation verb nuto, -are, -avi, -atum; modifies spadice


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