Botanical Latin Translations

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(updated 4 January 2026)





Quercus cerris L.

Taxonomic history
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Quercus cerris in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 997 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
   Today: The current name for this species is Quercus cerris L.


original Latin diagnosis
Quercus foliis oblongis lyrato-pinnatifidis: laciniis transversis acutis; subtus subtomentosis.

English translation
Quercus with leaf blades oblong [and] lyrate-pinnatifid: with narrow strips transerse [and] acute; below nearly tomentose.



English translation with commentary
Quercus Quercus
with leaf blades foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i
oblong oblongis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective oblongus, -a, -um; modifies foliis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
lyrate-pinnatifid: lyrato-pinnatifidis = lyrato- (combining form of group A adjective lyratus, -a, -um) + pinnatifidis (ablative plural neuter of group A adjective pinnatifidus, -a, -um); modifies foliis
with narrow strips laciniis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun lacinia, -ae
transverse transversis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective transversus, -a, -um; modifies laciniis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
acute; acutis - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective acutus, -a, -um; modifies laciniis
below subtus - adverb
nearl tomentose. subtomentosis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective subtomentosus, -a, -um; modifies foliis


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