Botanical Latin Translations

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(updated 19 January 2026)





Scirpus lithospermus L.

Taxonomic history:
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Scirpus lithospermus in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 51.
   today: The current name for this species is Scleria lithosperma (L.) Sw.


original Latin diagnosis
Scirpus culmo triquetro folioso, panicula foliacea, seminibus osseis.

English translation
Scirpus with a culm three-angled [and] leafy; with a panicle leafy; [and] with seeds bony.



English translation with commentary
Scirpus Scirpus
with a culm culmo - ablative singular of second declension masculine noun culmus, -i
three-angled triquetro - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective triquetrus, -a, -um; modifies culmo
[and] [added for smoother reading]
leafy; folioso - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective foliosus, -a, -um; modifies culmo
with a panicle panicula - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun panicula, -ae
leafy; foliacea - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective foliaceus, -a, -um; modifies panicula
[and] [added for smoother reading]
with seeds seminibus - ablative plural of third declension neuter noun semen, seminis
bony. osseis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective osseus, -a, -um; modifies seminibus


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