Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Phalaris erucaeformis in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 55.
today: The current name for this species is Beckmannia eruciformis (L.) Host
original Latin diagnosis
Phalaris panicula lineari secunda, calycibus bifloris.
English translation
Phalaris with a panicle linear [and] one-sided; [and] with calyces two-flowered.
| Phalaris | Phalaris |
| with a panicle | panicula - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun panicula, -ae |
| linear | lineari - ablative singular feminine of group B adjective linearis, -is, -e; modifies panicula |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| one-sided; | secunda - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective secundus, -a, -um; modifies panicula |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with calyces | calycibus - ablative plural of third declension masculine noun calyx, calycis |
| two-flowered. | bifloris - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective biflorus, -a, -um; modifies calycibus |