Taxonomic history
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Phyllanthus epiphyllanthus in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 981 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Phyllanthus epiphyllanthus L.
original Latin diagnosis
Phyllanthus foliis lanceolatis serratis: crenis floriferis.
English translation
Phyllanthus with leaf blades lanceolate [and] serrate: with the rounded teeth flower-bearing.
| Phyllanthus | Phyllanthus |
| with leaf blades | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| lanceolate | lanceolatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective lanceolatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| serrate: | serratis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective serratus, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| with the rounded teeth | crenis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun crenae, -ae |
| flower-bearing. | floriferis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective florifer, florifera, floriferum; modifies crenis |