Botanical Latin Translations

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 (updated 2 November 2025)


Rhododendron ferrugineum L.

Taxonomic history:
    1753: Linnaeus described this species as Rhododendron ferrugineum in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 392 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
   today: The current name for this species is Rhodendron ferrugineum L.


original Latin diagnosis
Rhododendron foliis glabris subtus leprosis, corollis infundibuliformibus.

English translation
Rhodendron with leaf blades glabrous [and] below scurfy appearing; [and] with corollas funnel-shaped.


English translation with commentary
Rhododendron Rhododendron
with leaf blades foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i
glabrous glabris - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective glaber, glabra, glabrum; modifies foliis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
below subtus - adverb
scurfy appearing; leprosis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective leprosus, -a, -um; modifies foliis
[and] [added for smoother reading]
with corollas corollis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun corolla, -ae
funnel-shaped. infundibuliformibus - ablative plural feminine of group B adjective infundibuliformis, -is, -e; modifies corollis



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